David Luiz Set For Chelsea, Again

David Luiz is now officially a Chelsea player, signing a five-and-a-half year deal (according to SB Nation community blog We Ain’t Got No History). Completing a deal that was on again, off again two times today, the 23-year-old Brazilian defender moves for a minimum €25 million, with midfielder Nemanja Matic also said to be moving to Benfica at year’s end as a makeweight.

Matic is no longer part of the deal, hinting that the Serbian midfielder may not have wanted to move to Lisbon. In his place, Chelsea has augmented the €25 million fee with €3.5 million in performance clauses. Chelsea also agrees to play a friendly in Lisbon, and while the estimated gate for that is €1.5 million, A Bola estimates the match could push the total benefit to €35 million for Benfica.

All of which is a complicated way of saying both sides had their hearts set on a deal. It appears they tried to call each others’ bluffs this weekend, but come Monday, they were willing to do whatever it took to get a deal done. Even when they couldn’t get Matic into the deal, the clubs found a way to keep the price tag at €25 million while getting Benfica the value they want.

It much have been love, but it’s over now, at least as it concerns David Luiz’s proposed move to London. What was once on, then off, then on again is back off, with reports saying the 23-year-old Brazilian has been pulled off a plane headed to London.

(Note: Castles tweet may or may not originate in this Portuguese source.)

Luiz was part of Benfica’s Liga Sagres title winning side last season, the club snapping FC Porto’s run of four consecutive league titles. Since last summer’s World Cup, Luiz has claimed a starting spot in central defense for Brazil, often starting along side Milan’s Thiago Silva in Mano Menezes’ back four.

So let’s track this one, thanks to our StoryStream. Luiz is en route to London for £21.5 million. Mid-week, pundits on the Guardian’s Football Weekly say the deal is up to £25 million but was being held as the sides negotiated whether there would be two payments or one. Then Benfica announced negotiations are dead, a state confirmed later by Chelsea.

Since reports of a near deal surfaced early this week, the proposed price had risen to £26 million, a fee Chelsea was apparently set to pay. However, according to speculation on the mid-week edition of the Guardian’s Football Weekly podcast, the quibbling point between the clubs was the amount of money to be paid up-front. Whereas, it was said, Chelsea was willing to give an initial payment of £20 million, Benfica wanted the entire payment immediately.

Whether that was the final stumbling block, Benfica’s statement did not say. The finality of the statement’s language, however, makes it clear that both clubs have agreed to step away. Perhaps the mutual nature of the accord hints at a rekindling come summer, but for now, Chelsea is without their desired defender.

For more on Chelsea’s transfer dealings, visit We Ain’t Got No History.