Benfica president Luis Felipe Vieira has made it clear to David Luiz that a return to the Estadio da Luz may be on the cards for the exit-linked Arsenal defender, according to A Bola.
When the Gunners invested £8 million in signing the Brazil international from London rivals Chelsea last summer, while making him one of their best-paid players, they surely weren’t planning to let Luiz go just 12 months later.
But, with Arsenal under pressure to tighten the purse strings thanks to a number of factors (the lack of Champions League football, the ongoing global health crisis etc), it looks increasingly likely that the veteran defender has just weeks left in the famous red kit.
Sky claims that there are no talks currently planned to extend Luiz’s contract beyond July.
Head coach Mikel Arteta, technical director Edu Gaspar and Luiz himself are all desperate for fresh terms to be agreed. It seems, however, that Arsenal may have no choice but to cut ties with the 33-year-old in order to ease a throbbing financial headache.
Luiz may be disappointed with how things have turned out but, if there is any consolation, a dream move to his former club may be a possibility.
Benfica president Viera has swung the doors open for the 2017 Premier League champion to re-join the club he left almost a decade ago. And, what’s more, Luiz has made no secret of his desire to play for the Lisbon giants again before he hangs up his boots.
“I never lost my connection with Benfica, I have that in my heart, everybody knows I want to come back,” he told SporTV.
“I want to wear the Benfica shirt again and feel that sensation. The day I come back to the Estadio da Luz it is going to be very special, one of the greatest feelings of my life.”
Maybe that dream reunion is going to happen sooner than even he might have expected.
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