Chelsea agrees to sell defender Luiz to PSG
Print Edition
DAVID Luiz is on the verge of joining Paris Saint-Germain after Chelsea on Friday revealed it has agreed a deal to sell the Brazil defender to the French champion.
Luiz’s move is reported to be worth a world-record fee for a defender of 50 million pounds (US$84 million) and the transfer will be rubber-stamped once he has agreed personal terms and passed a medical. “Chelsea Football Club and Paris Saint-Germain have agreed terms for the transfer of David Luiz to the French club,” a statement on Chelsea’s website announced.
“The move is now subject to David Luiz agreeing personal terms with PSG and passing a medical examination.”
PSG representatives are believed to have flown out to Brazil to complete Luiz’s medical at the World Cup host’s training base on Friday.
The French club’s willingness to shatter the record for a defender was motivated by its desire to seal a deal before Barcelona or Bayern Munich could swoop for the center-back. PSG claims the formalities of the deal will be completed on June 10 to ensure Luiz can concentrate on the forthcoming World Cup.
A statement on the PSG website read: “Paris St Germain, Chelsea FC and David Luiz would like to confirm that they reached an agreement regarding the terms of an upcoming transfer of the Brazilian defender that would occur during the next transfer window which is to start on 10 June 2014.”
The hefty price convinced Chelsea to off-load Luiz, who was primarily used in a defensive midfield role by Blues manager Jose Mourinho after being unable to break up the central defensive partnership of John Terry and Gary Cahill.
The easily recognizable Luiz, with his long and shaggy hair, who joined the west Londoners from Benfica for 21.3 million pounds in January 2011, made only 19 appearances in the English Premier League this season, although he did help Chelsea eliminate PSG from the Champions League quarterfinals.
The 27-year-old’s fee will beat the two previous highest fees for a defender, both paid by PSG for Marquinhos, who cost 30.1 million pounds, and Thiago Silva, who arrived from AC Milan for 35.3 million pounds
Meanwhile, the previous best deal received by an English club for a defender was when Rio Ferdinand left Leeds United for Manchester United for 30 million pounds 12 years ago.
The healthy profit Chelsea has made on Luiz’s sale is likely to be reinvested in the squad, with Atletico Madrid striker Diego Costa reportedly Mourinho’s No. 1 target. With Luiz on the way out after 143 appearances for Chelsea, Mourinho is likely to give more opportunities to young defender Tomas Kalas.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
