David Luiz: Why the Brazilian Is a Brilliant Short-Term Fix for Arsenal

​​So David Luiz, a natural leader who inspires others to follow in his footsteps, has jumped across London from Chelsea to Arsenal for the paltry sum of £8m.

It may not be the big money move that some fans were hoping for, but the Brazilian centre back is exactly what Arsenal need - and the good news is that he hasn't exactly broken the bank.

Furthermore, this surely means defensive woes for Chelsea in the upcoming season - another benefit for Unai Emery's side.

David Luiz

Nicolas Anelka, Ashley Cole, Cesc Fabregas, Olivier Giroud. Arsenal fans have become accustomed to seeing some of their best players make the switch to Stamford Bridge, causing great pain over the years. Finally, it seems that the Gunners have got their own back.

Yes, Petr Cech moved the other way, but in a much more mutually beneficial transfer. This feels different. With the current transfer ban at ​Chelsea, this one can be viewed as daylight robbery by those in north London.

In many ways, this transfer brings back memories of William Gallas, who made the short trip across London and spent four seasons at the Emirates.

So, why exactly is the 32-year-old the perfect fit for Emery's Arsenal?

David Luiz,Lucas Torreira,Gabriel Martinelli,Nicolas Pepe

First off, he is unpredictable. Would it really be an Arsenal defence if there wasn't a heart-in-mouth moment any time the ball nears Bernd Leno's goal?

In all seriousness, the experience and quality that the 2011/12 Champions League winner will bring to the current Arsenal squad will be crucial to their season. Luiz has won trophies in Portugal, France, and England - not to mention his 56 caps for Brazil.

With the departure of Laurent Koscielny to Bordeaux for just £4.6m, the Gunners have lost the last true leader in their squad. This comes after Aaron Ramsey joined Juventus on a free earlier in the summer and Cech chose to hang up his boots at the close of the 2018/19 campaign.

After losing their captain of nine years the Arsenal defence looked weak. However, the situation turned on its head completely in the space of just 24 hours.

As a defender who is gifted with his feet, Luiz could be the perfect partner for Sokratis Papastathopoulos. The Brazilian will likely come to meet any breakaway head on, while also loving to bring the ball out of trouble for the Gunners. Pair this with Sokratis sitting as an anchor in the heart of a back four or five and you have a match made in heaven.

Suddenly, Emery's back line is beginning to take shape. Rob Holding is yet to make his return to match fitness after a long injury and he will undoubtedly benefit from the experience of Luiz. Furthermore, Calum Chambers is still in the picture after an exceptional season on loan at Chelsea's rivals Fulham.

Shkodran Mustafi

This brings things on to the much talked about Shkodran Mustafi. Yes, he makes mistakes. He is evidently not of the quality to be starting games for a top Premier League club. However, the signing of Luiz would convert the German World Cup winner into a great squad player for an Arsenal side who always seem to be fragile on numbers at the back.

New signing William Saliba looks to be a great talent but it seems as though he is not ready to solve Emery's defensive questions just yet. Perhaps this will change in the two years that Luiz is at the club.

​Arsenal needed a quick fix to their back line and the signing of Luiz from Frank Lampard's Chelsea has done that - and it's been done on a budget.

Granted, ​Luiz may be inconsistent at times and take unnecessary risks. However, Emery will know his qualities from their short time together at Paris Saint-Germain back in 2016. The extravagant centre back may cost the Gunners a few points throughout the course of the season but the benefits he will bring to the club will eclipse the individual errors he may make.

With the ​arrival of Kieran Tierney at the Emirates also taking place, it was a successful deadline day for Arsenal. If they can put it all together on the pitch, we may just have a special Arsenal team on our hands.


Source : 90min