Ahead of the 2019/20 season last summer, Arsenal were in need of a central defender after ex captain Laurent Kocielny’s decision to quit the London club.
The Gunners were linked with moves for Leipzig’s Dayot Upamencano and Juventus’Danièle Rugani but could not complete the deal for either due to their respective clubs refusal to sell.
Arsenal did sign William Saliba from Saint Étienne but the Frenchman could not team up with Unai Emery’s men due to the condition of the transfer that the defender spend the 2019/20 season at the French club.
With time running out and the club becoming desperate to get a defender on their squad, Emery identified David Luiz as a quick fix for The Gunners defensive shortage and a deal for was tabled for the then Chelsea man.
The Brazilian, then 32, had a year left on his current Chelsea contract and was also believed to be involved in a clash with The Blues boss Frank Lampard, with reports suggesting he is out of the manager’s plans for the imminent season.
Arsenal completed the deal to bring Luiz to the Emirates on the deadline day of the summer transfer for £8m on a year contract with the option of a renewal.
However, the details to the deal was not known until recent reports reveal the club did spent £24m for the services of the former Benfica man for a year with £6m going to intermediaries in the deal and Luiz taking £9m a year.
After Luiz impressive performances under Mikel Arteta and it is all appearing that the defender seem to have convince for a contract extension this summer, The Gunners are reluctant to offer the 33year old an extension.
Though The Gunners have a number of defenders fit and some others returning to the squad and might also be looking to keep Pablo Mari permanently, but David Luiz experience will also be useful for The Gunners.
However, that is only the positive side to things, the negative side is that it’s not helping the club’s wage bills that a 33year old defender gets £9m a year.
Should Arsenal’s inability to keep Luiz be blamed on Arsenal bad transfer decisions that brought him to the club last summer ? How could a top team like Arsenal pay such amount to Luiz with all the conditions attached to his transfer ?
Arsenal are also having issues with the club’s top earner Mesut Ozil, who is believed to earn £350,000k weekly and have been poor prior the arrival of new coach, Arteta, with the club looking to sell but the German willing to run down his contract at the club.
Arteta’s arrival might have change the facet of things for Ozil but will Arsenal be willing to extend his contract on the same wage ? A refusal might also see the London club lose a player they bought for £42.5m in 2013 for free next summer.
The Gunners, who are unable to keep Aaron Ramsey last summer due to wage issues have paid what could be branded ‘an unjustified’ wages to undeserving players.
Ramsey, Özil and now David Luiz adds to the list of names showing how incompetent Arsenal is, in keeping and luring players to the club.
