Football news - David Luiz: Chelsea staff begged me to stay after I joined Arsenal
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Updated 19/03/2020 at 12:17 GMT
David Luiz has revealed staff at Chelsea were begging him to return, just days after his sensational switch to Arsenal last August.
LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 01: David Luiz of Arsenal gesticulates during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Manchester United at Emirates Stadium on January 01, 2020 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)
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The Brazilian centre-back made a surprise £8 million move to the Emirates in the summer transfer window after ending his second spell at Chelsea.
Luiz played for the Blues between 2011 and 2014, and 2016 and 2019 and won the Premier League, Champions League, Europa League and FA Cup twice during a bountiful spell at Stamford Bridge.
Given such success, and his status as a Chelsea fans’ favourite, Luiz has admitted he struggled to cope with leaving Frank Lampard’s side initially.
“I can be honest with you, the first three days or week was not easy to understand all the emotions or how I was feeling, because everybody knows my history with Chelsea,” Luiz told the OTRO YouTube channel.
I had this connection with everyone at the club. It was so massive and big and I was missing every single one. Every text message I was receiving, people were saying: ‘Come back, come back, come back, come back, we are here for you’.
"I give you the example of a gentleman there who is 75 years old. He was having breakfast with me at the time when he had the opportunity.
“He was texting me: ‘I am still waiting for you here to have breakfast again’.
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Luiz won six trophies in two separate spells at Chelsea, including the 2019 Europa League following a 4-1 rout of his current side Arsenal.
Image credit: Getty Images
“This kind of thing was so difficult for me, because I am someone that sees the heart as the most important thing.
But then after that, in the professional way, I was saying: ‘It is a new moment for you. It is another big thing for you to do. Maybe if you stay in the comfort zone it is not going to be the best thing for you?’”
Luiz insists he has overcome such reservations now, however, and is completely focused on helping the Gunners recapture their former glories.
“It was a top decision. [Arsenal] are a big club. I want to make this club improve and to shine again. The first days were difficult but after that I started to adapt.
“Now I am so happy and I want to do big, big things with Arsenal.”
According to the Sun, Arsenal are poised to trigger the extension clause in Luiz’s contract to keep him at the Emirates until 2021, after the centre-half established himself as a pivotal figure in Mikel Arteta’s team.
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