Reports: Manchester United to make stunning £62.5m bid for Chelsea superstar in January
What's the story?
After years of trumping Manchester United in the transfer market - Pedro and Jon Obi-Mikel say hello - Chelsea are being given a dose of their treatment; and then some. After having pipped them to Romelu Lukaku, the Red Devils also snipped away Nemanja Matic in what many have seen as a blunder by the Stamford Bridge outfit.
United are now back at it and want to make full use of the apparent discord between Chelsea coach Antonio Conte and his superstar defender David Luiz if reports across the UK media (including the Express) are to be believed. United would, though, have to make Luiz the world's most expensive defender again, and shell out £62.5 (€70 million), to get their man
In case you didn't know...
Conte and Luiz have been at each other's throats since the last two Champions League games against Roma where the Brazilian didn't too kindly to being substituted and his Italian didn't take too kindly to the reaction. He then dropped Luiz in favour of young, unproven, Andreas Christensen for the crucial match against Manchester United and when asked about whether this means Luiz has no future at the club, responded with - “I don’t know. He has to work hard, otherwise, they are on the bench or in the stands.”
The heart of the matter
When Conte is displeased with a player, he rarely gets over it - just ask Diego Costa - and Luiz proved last season just how brilliant a defender he would be if used in a three-man back-line. While Mourinho and Luiz have never shared a great relationship with one calling the other "not special for me" and the other retorting with "he won't be missed" but time heals wounds and Mourinho would love to have an actual ball-playing centre-back when he goes on his experimental three-at-the-back moods.
Video
David Luiz had a brilliant 2016, and was having a better 2017... till this spat popped up
He would be brilliant alongside Eric Bailly, wouldn't he?
Author's Take
David Luiz has often been lambasted for the mistakes he used to make at the back - nobody remind him of Brazil 1-7 Germany - but he is a much-improved defender these days, with the freedom he gets by playing in a back-three making him even more potent as it allows him to unleash the full gamut of his ball-playing skills.
Chelsea would be unwise to let him go. Especially to Manchester United.