Path clear for Chelsea to pursue David Luiz
English Premier League (EPL) club Chelsea have seen one of the main obstacles in their pursuit of Benfica defender David Luiz Moreira Marinho vanish – after former manager Jose Mourinho ruled himself out of the race to sign the player.
Real Madrid boss Mourinho has distanced Madrid from claims that they were set to secure the services Luiz. The defender had been near the top of Mourinho’s shopping list this summer, but the new Bernebau boss believes Madrid have been priced out of a move for a player. With the Madrid having opened talks with AC Milan defender Thiago Silva and a move about to take place for Chelsea’s central defender Ricardo Carvalho, Mourinho said: 'I like (Luiz) a lot, but he won't come to Madrid this year. It will be very difficult for him to leave. I'm not thinking about him at all this year. There was some contact, but the price is prohibitive. After what was invested in Madrid last year, we won't spend as much now.”
According to the Daily Mail, Chelsea are to be preparing a new bid of £27 million for Luiz. However, Benfica are holding out for more than £30 million for the signature of the 23-year-old with the hope that Manchester City will enter the bidding process once again.
Bruce praises defender
Meanwhile, Steve Bruce, the boss of Chelsea’s league rivals Sunderland, has tipped the defender to be a star in the English top-flight. Bruce’s side faced Benfica in a pre-season friendly, losing the game 2-0. After the game, he heaped praise on Luiz, saying: “He is a good footballer with pride, fight and quality. This type of footballer is wanted in England because his style is very English. It doesn't surprise me that Chelsea and Manchester City are interested because David Luiz is a footballer capable of playing for the best teams in the world. He is a leader and I believe he would do very well in the Premier League.”
Luiz began his career at Esporte Clube Vitória and made his senior debut at just 16 years of age. He established himself with the first team after impressing with his quick pace, ability in the air and the tough mental attitude he displayed. He played 47 games for the club, scoring seven goals.
Bound for Portugal
In January 2007. Luiz joined Sport Lisboa e Benfica as a replacement for Ricardo Rocha, who left to join Tottenham Hotspur in the EPL. He made his debut for the club in a UEFA Cup clash against Paris Saint-Germain in the French capital. Benfica lost the match 2-1, but managed to progress through to the next round after a 4-3 aggregate win.
In March, Luiz made his league debut against Uniao de Leiria. At the end of the season, he penned a new five-year contract with the club. In August, he scored his first goal, against Sporting Clube de Portugal in the Torneio do Guadiana. However, he spent most of the season on the sidelines with an injury as Benfica finished in fourth place. The 2008-09 season saw Luiz played mostly as a left back, displaying his versatility. In the 2009-10 season, Luiz was a stalwart in the first-team as he helped the clubs win their first league championship in five years. Luiz’s talents also helped Benfica win the Portuguese League Cup in each of the last two seasons. In total, he has played 96 games for Benfica, scoring six times.
Luiz has yet to feature for Brazil’s senior side, but has received his first call-up to the national squad for a friendly game against the United States next month. He has featured prominently at Under-20 level, winning 24 caps.
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