Chelsea pulled off one of the craziest deadline day deals this week; crazy in the sense that no one ever expected to see Brazil centre-back David Luiz back at Stamford Bridge playing in their colours, but that's exactly what's going to happen.
The Blues announced the reported £32m signing of the frizzy-haired ‘Geezer’ from Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday, two years after selling him to the French club for £50m.
Speaking strictly in terms of money, it’s not a bad deal at all, as in essence, Chelsea made £18m from loaning a player away for two years. In footballing terms, however, one just can’t tell if the London side made a good decision in bringing the player back.
They do have history on their side, though. Jose Mourinho, Didier Drogba and Nemanja Matic all came back to the Bridge and things worked out rather well – for one season at least.
But let’s take a look at the pros and the cons of this particular deal, and we’ll leave the weighing up for you to do.
Pro: He's extremely versatile
One of Luiz’ most attractive attributes is the fact that he’s very good with the ball at his feet. As a direct result, the Brazilian can easily slot into a midfield position.
He does have great defensive qualities, and will give Antonio Conte a bit of a selection headache, which is very good for the team. His mere presence will now force John Terry and Gary Cahill to work harder, and that in itself is a huge plus.
Apart from the selection headache, Conte now has more options as it relates to formations. The Italian is fond of playing with three at the back, so bringing in a third central defender allows him to do just that.
With regards to playing in midfield, Luiz can form a great partnership with N’Golo Kante. He’s certainly more offensive than Nemanja Matic, and with the former Leicester man mopping up behind, he wouldn’t have much to worry about when he bombs forward.
Con: He’s prone to the odd error
With Luiz, you have to take the good with the bad. As much as he defends well when he’s on song, his concentration remains a huge concern.
He’s quite prone to making defensive errors as he sometimes shows no regard for positioning. It is something that we all expect Conte to correct, but with Luiz, you could never tell.
As Gary Cahill recently noted, Antonio Conte has been drilling his philosophy into the team, and has made sure that everyone sticks to their assigned duties. A now 29-year-old may or may not have gained maturity needed for consistent success but Conte will surely try hard to instil his values.
"He’s added spirit, he’s added organisation and a lot of discipline," Cahill said to Chelsea’s official website. "Players know exactly what their role should be at each individual time they’re on the pitch.”
Chelsea’s new coach is all about tactical discipline, and if he could get the defender to heed his word and stick to a certain task, then the Blues will have nothing to fear when Luiz plays at the back. If not, though, things could get tricky.
Pro: He’s a great defender when he puts his mind to it
Much has been said about Chelsea’s decision to bring the player back, yet all his critics know that he is a brilliant defender when he makes up his mind.
Just think back to the 2012 Champions League final, a night on which Chelsea bested German giants Bayern Munich on their own turf. Luiz was outstanding in that game, putting in the performance of his life to help the Blues lift the European trophy for the first time.
Luiz wouldn’t even have been on the pitch had it not been for injuries and suspensions within the squad, as he was recovering from an injury himself, but he played his heart out that night - for 120 minutes at that - and Chelsea fans should never forget that.
Con: He’s a bit erratic
Luiz certainly isn’t the cleanest player out there, and his clashes with compatriot and now-teammate Diego Costa, in particular, have been well noted.
The Brazilian does have the tendency of making rash challenges or winding up other players, and while it isn’t a huge issue, the Blues should remain wary. Chelsea did not have the greatest defence last season and with Luiz’s erratic play, this could become a major issue for Conte and company.
Pro: Excellent leadership qualities
A relaxed and comical character off the pitch, Luiz is certainly all business when game time comes around. He is a passionate player who leaves everything out on the pitch in every game and is as much of a leader as John Terry is.
Chelsea suffered for a lack of leadership within the squad last season, and bringing Luiz back gives them that dressing room personality that was missing. When Drogba left at the end of their title-winning campaign, it quickly became evident that Terry wouldn’t able to lead the entire squad on his own, with players like Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole already gone.
But with Luiz back in the side, the captain’s job will be much easier as he tries to guide the Blues through this period of recovery.
Con: Not Antonio Conte’s first choice
No one at Chelsea would dare pretend that Luiz was their chief defensive target. Their pursuit of Kalidou Koulibaly, Leonardo Bonucci and Alessio Romagnoli has been well documented, and Luiz was nothing more than a last-ditch signing.
French newspaper L’Equipe also claimed that Luiz’ PSG teammate Presnel Kimpembe was ahead of the 29-year-old on Chelsea’s list.
He wasn’t Chelsea’s first choice, and he certainly wasn’t Conte’s first choice. As a matter of fact, he wasn’t even first choice at PSG, but Chelsea were made to settle for him as they refused to be bullied into paying ridiculous amounts for other targets.
While this should have no bearing on the way he performs during his second stint as a blue, his presence serves as a reminder of the fact that Chelsea are no longer a dominant force in the market.
Perhaps Luiz could help change that by taking the Blues back to the top.
