David Luiz is looking to extend his stay in Europe before taking his twilight tour back home to Brazil or in pursuit of a massive payout in Qatar. Chelsea should thank him for his service, but move him out before he further blocks young defenders.
David Luiz is in talks to extend his contract and stay at Chelsea. He is allegedly looking for a two year extension but, being 32 years old, Chelsea are only offering him a 12-month contract.
With a reported £220,000 a week wage on offer from a Qatari team, we have to ask ourselves: is Luiz crazy for not accepting that, or does he know Chelsea are close to matching it? And which option is more crazy?
Chelsea have no business trying matching the Qatari offer, not for a thirty-something defender who wasn’t even worth that much in his prime.
Never mind Luiz’s age and how he is losing his abilities, slowing but surely. Even though they may have forgotten about him, Chelsea have Ethan Ampadu still floating around somewhere, in addition to Andreas Christensen, who should be starting next to Antonio Rudiger every match. They have no need to keep an old man who was part of the old guard that created issues in the locker room.
David Luiz is not the sole problem or even the biggest problem, but he did nothing to contain the drama that swept through the club the last two seasons.
Why pay that man any money when the club has players like Ampadu, Kurt Zouma out on loan and – if need be – the ability to bring Nathan Ake back as Bournemouth seem keen on selling him. That, by the way, would truly be The Chelsea Way: sell him to Bournemouth for £20 million, buy him back for £40 million.
Regardless, there are better ways to go about securing a defender then signing a 32-year old whose abilities are on their way out. Even with the ban looming, they have better options beyond keeping on with the three center backs – and only the three center backs – they use now.
If the Blues bring back Zouma, promote Ampadu and let Luiz walk, they would still have four center backs, all of whom would be 27 or younger.
Chelsea currently have 33-year old Gary Cahill sitting on the bench. Now I appreciate and acknowledge what Cahill has won and meant to this club, but that doesn’t change the fact he has been a waste of money and spot in the club. What’s to keep David Luiz from becoming that same thing next season, just an old guy sitting on the bench, not contributing, but getting paid and occupying a roster slot?
The average monkey fecal fights at the zoo are more organized than David Luiz. Antonio Rudiger doesn’t want to be responsible for when Luiz wonders off and someone has to pick up the slack. It makes no sense to slow either Christensen’s or Ampadu’s progression, particularly for an old man who isn’t any better than said youngsters.
The goal is to develop younger talent. With Cesar Azpilicueta still around, there will always be leadership and accountability.
The cons far out weight the pro’s when it comes keeping David Luiz, but none of them heavier than him blocking young players from getting necessary playing time to progress in the Premier League.