Martin Keown has questioned Arsenal’s ‘wisdom’ in bringing David Luiz to the club last summer, the Brazilian now looking likely to leave after just one season.
The 33-year-old swapped Chelsea for Arsenal in a deal worth around £8 million last summer, initial reports claiming he had signed a two-year contract at the Emirates.
However, it turns out that his deal was for just one year, with the club retaining an option to extend for a further 12 months, though Sky Sports reported earlier this week that the North London outfit have no intention of activating that extension, leaving the defender free to leave on June 30th.
Speaking about the situation, former Gunners defender Martin Keown has questioned the clubs decision to bring the Luiz to the club at all, especially considering most of his better performances for Chelsea came as part of a back three.
“David Luiz concerns me because if you’re going to pay £7m for him and give him £5m wages and he’s only going to be there for one season, I’m not sure about the wisdom of that,” Keown told talkSport.
“Is he a proper defender? Can he play in a back four? His best defending came when he was in a back three at Chelsea when they won the Premier League [in 2016/17].
“It’s the most crucial area which he [Mikel Arteta] has to get right. Holding’s been injured, it’s hard to judge him, probably deserves another opportunity. I think that Sokratis could be a useful defender but I can understand the uncertainty of giving David Luiz a new deal.
“Do they now start to be harsh and make those key decisions? If David Luiz isn’t the answer, then he has to go now. He doesn’t enjoy being in wide positions in the back four, he tends to bring people down and Mustafi, although Arteta has got a bit of a tune out of him but we know Mustafi isn’t quite at the level as well.
“You go to a football club, you have to make your mark and if it doesn’t happen you have to hold your hands up. I think both players will have to do that… I can’t see that being a long-term partnership in the Arsenal defence.”
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