David Luiz

[DYC. 7,542]

Please let this not be true. The reported 25-27 mil pounds is ridiculous.

[Duppy Conqueror 1,494]

Chelsea and Manchester City are fighting a two-way battle to sign £25 million-rated Benfica defender David Luiz.

According to the Daily Star, Blues manager Carlo Ancelotti is planning to make a double swoop from the Portuguese club, as the Italian is close to signing Brazil international Ramires for £17m next week.

In addition, Ancelotti is also planning to sign Luiz, who impressed in Benfica's Europa League defeat against Liverpool last season.

The 23-year-old defender is now Chelsea's main target with Alex suffering from a thigh injury and the club being concerned over the long-term fitness of John Terry.

However, City are also in the mix for the Brazilian and have the money to outbid Chelsea for the star defender.

Ancelotti has not added a big signing to his Double-winning squad this summer and has seen Michael Ballack, Joe Cole and Juliano Belletti leave the club this summer.

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Source:- goal.com

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Can I ask two things....

1) why are City even going in for David Luiz when their main concern is reducing their 37-man squad to 25??

2) Do we really need this guy? And at £27 million?? We have Ivanovic, (who is comfortable at right back AND centre back) and of course Bosingwa, who will be coming back from injury soon?

on the surface..no we don`t need him..but i`ve thought about it a bit more and maybe we do..

Bos has a year left on his contract..although it has been stated that he will be back soon,maybe the medical staff have advised Carlo that in the long term,the injury is something that may hinder Bos for the rest of his career..say for example the way Ledley King`s knees have..maybe not as bad as Ledley`s ,but bad enough for Carlo and the club to be unwilling to offer Bos an extension to his current contract and will let him become a free agent at the end of the season.

so say Carlo sees Ivanovic as the long term RB for us..(Carlo has said that in the past that Bran`s best position is CB..but he may have or could change his mind on that..)

the current starters at CB from the end of last year were Alex & JT...both players who in recent years have picked up various injuries and missed games because of them..JT will turn 30 this year and Alex has just turned 28..neither old but again..maybe due to injuries their bodies arent as "young" as their age suggests.

we have Bruma..but he is at 18, probably 2 or 3 years,maybe more, away from being ready to be a regular starter..by which time Alex will be 31 and JT 33,maybe older...also both are similar players.

so to clarify my post so far...Ivanovic moves to RB..leaving Alex & JT who miss games through injury every season in recent years and a too young to yet start on a regular basis Bruma, as our top 3 CB...Riccy is on the verge of leaving, so we wont have him to rely upon in the future..

Luiz offers something that we don`t currently have at CB ..he`s faster than JT & Alex and although Alex & JT were an impressive partnership at the end of last season..against top notch attacking teams with speed..they have and may struggle again..where as having Luiz back there could combat that..remember JT`s best performances have come when he`s partnered with a fast CB like Riccy or Gallas ....Luiz has also played at fullback for Benfica on many occasions prior to this last season, so he would add depth there too.

we could play Mancienne at CB..but i believe personally that his best position would either be at DM or RB..and despite what seems to be the general opinion..although we look set to be signing Ramires..i don`t personally see him as a DM for us.

don`t get me wrong tho..i`m not trying to say that we should definately buy Luiz...i`m just trying to point out what may be the reasons behind us going for a player like Luiz..when on the surface in defense, we appear set.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

£25million? No thanks.

[TrueChelseaBlue 105]

decent signing but not for that price

[chrismada9 1,948]

Luiz offers something that we don`t currently have at CB ..he`s faster than JT & Alex and although Alex & JT were an impressive partnership at the end of last season..against top notch attacking teams with speed..they have and may struggle again..where as having Luiz back there could combat that..remember JT`s best performances have come when he`s partnered with a fast CB like Riccy or Gallas ....Luiz has also played at fullback for Benfica on many occasions prior to this last season, so he would add depth there too.

we could play Mancienne at CB..but i believe personally that his best position would either be at DM or RB..and despite what seems to be the general opinion..although we look set to be signing Ramires..i don`t personally see him as a DM for us.

- That is actually rather interesting to point out. As you correctly say, JT only works well when he works alongside a quick pacy centreback, which is why sometimes, when he plays alongside Alex, who isn't the quickest defender in the Premier League, he struggles. If Luiz is coming in as a direct replacement for Carvalho then that's not a bad investment.

- Mancienne wants to leave, so that might not even happen, but we do have Bruma and van Aanholt as under-studies. Maybe that's why he wants to move out, because he's had to go on loan so many times with different clubs, and now there are other youngsters pushing him out of a queue to get a place. It's disappointing to know that Mancienne wants to leave because of that sole reason.

[Randall 315]

Van Aanholt is not a centre back.

[chrismada9 1,948]

Van Aanholt is not a centre back.

oh yeah of course he is, my mistake... but Sam Hutchinson is another player who can play at centreback, but also plays at right back as well

[Duppy Conqueror 1,494]

well Van Aanholt can play CB but he is better at LB...CB was his original position. we do have plenty of other young CB`s on the books that havent been mentioned yet..Danny Mills-Pappoe,Rohan Ince,Rajkovic etc..but remains to be seen wether they can make the grade or not..

Mancienne wants a chance with Chelsea foremost....i think he only wants to leave if he can`t be given that chance and i don`t think he`s demanding to start or anything..just a first team squad place,which i don`t personally blame him,he`s done all thats been asked of him. i`d give him a place in the squad,he`s a good player..but being a good player don`t mean we gotta keep him, if we feel we got better options. will soon find out i guess..

[RX8 40]

Very interesting about this posible new CB. I have to admit i have no remember see him play but if what U guys said is real them he look as a good invesment yo the future.

What I can tell U is that in the defense I have not see much of the young player except Bruma, he maight be the only posible guy ready for first team.

Mancienne has not impres me much i see him as a normal player, I do not know if this is because i had not see much of him

[caesarblues 51]

zzzz,,,another rejection

Benfica reject Chelsea bid for David Luiz - report

[We Hate Scouse 10,286]

Bye bye Carvalho...

[Madmax 9,219]

zzzz,,,another rejection

Benfica reject Chelsea bid for David Luiz - report

Can't believe we're serious about him. Not at 32 million ffs.

[EskWeston 696]

We really shouldn't be in for a centre back, as has been said numerous times we are fully stocked there with quality talent and no way could we bring anyone else in.

[NoFear 23]

And even if we bring, it should not be at 32m !!! No way are we gonna pay that much for a CB. We weren't willing to pay that extra 2m for Robinho !!! Better spent on a combined bid for Neymar + Ganso...

[crazy1 24]

why we are going for him.......i think we should go for Micah Richards / Showcross / Gary Cahill........as they are english and will be available for max to max around 10 to 15 m pounds.............and they hv proved themselves in premier league............

[BlueLion. 21,491]

He's not even that good! Nothing on Terry, Alex or Ivan, and I'd certainly rather see Bruma given a chance than see us splash out for defensive COVER.

[We Hate Scouse 10,286]

He's not even that good! Nothing on Terry, Alex or Ivan, and I'd certainly rather see Bruma given a chance than see us splash out for defensive COVER.

Exactly! If we are selling Carvalho which seems imminent, then push Bruma forward. We'd have Perfectly good cover without buying. If the club are serious about pushing youth through, then they won't spend pointless money replacing Carvalho.

[chrismada9 1,948]

He's not even that good! Nothing on Terry, Alex or Ivan, and I'd certainly rather see Bruma given a chance than see us splash out for defensive COVER.

Definitely agree! Promoting Bruma would be a better and much more cheaper option than splash out millions on an unproven player.