Former Chelsea star Alex has urged David Luiz against leaving the Blues at the end of the season.
The Blues are expected to undergo major squad changes this summer following what has been a frustrating season for the club and one of the men who has been strongly linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge is David Luiz.
Although Luiz was a key part of Antonio Conte’s side that won the Premier League last season, he has struggled to earn game time this season and has managed only 14 games in all competitions. At 31 years old, Luiz still has another three years of regular football left in him and he will surely be fancying a move away from the Bridge in order to play more regularly as he nears the latter phase of his career.
Antonio Conte appeared to have lost faith in Luiz after the Blues fell to a 4-0 thrashing at the hands of Roma in the Champions League. Two clubs that have been rumoured to be interested in the defender are Napoli and French club Monaco.
Alex told Goal: “He has been out for two or three months with a knee problem. He was very good last year, it worked out well in the Conte line-up with three defenders. Unfortunately, he did not start well this season. I’m not sure what happened, probably a problem, so he lost his place in the starting line-up. I’m very fond of him. He’s a great friend, a great person.
“Could he leave? It’s difficult to talk, every day you may be surprised… We do not know yet if the coach will continue. Sometimes a new coach arrives, and the player ends up receiving more opportunities. David is an experienced player.
“For me, he should not leave, because Chelsea is an exceptional club. I think he should stay and try one more time. For the quality he has, the player that he is, the opportunities will appear.”
Although Luiz has been linked with moves away from the Bridge, there are still many fans of the club who love him. He could also end up remaining in west London if Conte ends up getting sacked at the end of the season – as is widely expected – and the new manager views the Brazilian as part of his plans going forward.
Another option for Luiz could be the Chinese Super League. His career with the Brazil national team could well be over after the World Cup, meaning that he will not have to play in a high-profile league anymore. He could opt to go to Asia and earn massive sums of money.
