David Luiz shares what nobody knows about his Chelsea exit

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David Luiz left Chelsea to join Arsenal during the summer transfer window.

David Luiz has told the Telegraph that he had decided to leave Chelsea before Arsenal had even been in contact this summer.

Luiz surprised many people when he left Stamford Bridge to join Unai Emery’s side late on in the transfer window.

However, the Brazilian claims that his mind was made up earlier in the summer, and even if he hadn’t joined Arsenal he would have left Chelsea.

“I decided to leave Chelsea before there was contact with Arsenal,” Luiz, who is currently on a £125,000-a-week contract (Spotrac), said.

“People do not know that but I decided early to leave Chelsea. After that I had contact with Arsenal and I took a decision which everybody knows was not easy.

“Me and Lampard, we had honest conversations. Man to man, me and him. His ideas of football were different to mine. We just agreed: ‘OK, we move on’. In an honest way, in a mature way. We played together, we won together. We won the Champions League, the Europa League, everything together. It was done in a mature way.”

Chelsea boss Frank Lampard appeared to have some reluctance over using Luiz, and had other options which he favoured.

At Arsenal the experienced centre-back has already played a key role this season though.

Luiz has been a regular starter for Emery’s side, although he has not always looked the most assured.

The 32-year-old still has some doubters to win over the Emirates Stadium, with Arsenal’s defence not looking particularly solid over the early weeks of the season.

Luiz could feature again for Arsenal later this evening, when Emery’s men take on Sheffield United.