Arsenal still hasn’t agreed to a new deal with David Luiz, and the most likely scenario is that the dependable Brazilian defender will leave Emirates for nothing this summer. But it looks like the club’s manager Mikel Arteta won’t give up on Luiz so easily.
Arteta discussed Luiz’s potential departure during a news conference ahead of the clash with Manchester City on Wednesday and said that the player emerged a “key role model” in his time with the club.
“I am really happy with David, I want to keep him here with us. He’s been a key role model since I joined,” said Arteta. “I like what he produces on the pitch, I like his influence around the players and the club.”
Luiz signed a one-year deal with Arsenal last summer and the two sides haven’t been able to come to an extension agreement in recent months. After the breakdown in negotiations, the 33-year-old center-back started exploring other options which reportedly included returning to Portugal’s powerhouse Benfica.
Still, Arteta hopes for some last-minute developments that will keep Luiz on his squad for 2020/21 season as well.
“I would love to keep him,” he added.
Prior to joining Arsenal, David Luiz played with Benfica, Chelsea, and Paris Saint-Germain among other clubs. Over the course of his career, Luiz won 17 trophies including Premier League title, UEFA Champions League trophy, and two Ligue 1 titles.
