Mikel Arteta says he’s not held formal discussions with David Luiz about a contract extension but it sounds like he’s open to the idea of keeping the Brazilian past this summer.
The 33-year-old’s current 12-month deal is due to expire at the end of June and the veteran is being tipped to stick around for another season while a rebuild of the defence takes place around him.
While it’s no secret that the veteran defender’s performances have been erratic since he joined from Chelsea in 2019, his leadership qualities are valued by the coaching staff.
Having severed ties with Sokratis and given up on contract talks with Shkodran Mustafi, retaining Luiz is an option while the futures of Calum Chambers, Dinos Mavropanos and William Saliba remain undecided.
Asked whether a new deal was already on the table, Arteta said: “No, there are still a few months to go on that. I all the time talk to him about this kind of thing so we’re in a good position.
“He showed his character first of all with the decision he made to join the club when he was with a club where he was winning trophies and he was still comfortable and under contract.
“And he wanted a challenge. And at that age it tells your everything because normally at that age the challenge is not sporting but more a financial decision that you take to go to a different country.
“But David loves this game so much and he wants to keep playing at the highest level in a very competitive league. This is the challenge that he’s enjoying at the moment.”
On Saturday, Luiz produced a man-of-the-match display alongside Rob Holding as Arsenal drew 0-0 with Manchester United to secure a fifth clean sheet in six games. The subsequent praise from the boss was wholesome.
“It’s credit to him because he trains really hard,” Arteta said.
“This season has been really tough in the beginning because he’s been through some injuries but he’s kept at it, he understood his role, he knows his role in the team, he’s one of our leaders and he’s so willing to keep improving.
“He knows the things that he’s really good at and the things where there is still room for improvement. He’s a really honest man with himself. He’s won everything and it’s a joy to work with him.
“He’s a great example for them (the youngsters). He’s got a good mixture with them between some banter and then some stick.
“They all listen to him because of who he is and what he’s done in the game. But also because how he behaves every day, how professional he is and how he goes about the job. He is one of the key role models that we have in our team.”
sign him up! new 3 yr, 300k per week deal incoming…
He’s being consistent this season imo.An year extension wont be too bad. but he’s not the one with whom we should be building our defense. Mari/gabriel need to step up and take that up that position.but he’s a good person to have around team.
MA may appoint him assistant. Arsenal value players who spent most part of their career elsewhere.
Yeah, honestly as long as he’s content with a back-up role one more year could be fine. We should just be sure to stay firm in that and develop others ahead of him whenever they are fit, even if he puts in good performances when called upon.
He’s most consistent when he’s on the bench, which is clearly his best position.
We have plenty of center backs. When Saliba and Chambers can’t get a game in, we don’t need to sign another over-the-hill disaster artist.
In terms of personality and experience, he’s ideal to have around the changing room.
But with 2 places up for grabs, I was quite looking forward to seeing Mari, Gabi, Saliba and Holding fighting for them. All a good age, all with promising attributes.
I dunno. Maybe Saliba is too far gone to bring back now. If so, I suppose signing up Luiz wouldn’t be too crazy.
I guess that would well and truly be the nail in Chambers coffin though.
For sure his personality has been a huge bonus for the club and the youngsters really like him (it seems). This season IMO has been his best as a player for Arsenal too. He’s actually been really strong. I think the big difference has been his errors, which still happen haven’t led to red cards or penalties or goals whereas previously they did. He’s still making a few (see Southhampton two in one play; and I remember there was an almost red-card moment I think against Burnley early on?). I’d give him another season and another paycut, maybe even if… Read more »
I think we all suffer bad from recency bias too. A poor performance and all this goodwill changes turns on a dime.
I mean don’t get me wrong, I clench up each time he is the last man against and attacker or he is defending someone in the box. I feel like we’re playing roulette against the house right now; a more costly error is surely coming. I felt much more assured when Mari or Gabi were in there. Still, he’s been solid, so credit where credit is due…”Last Bets Mikel”…
He had a reputation at Chelsea of being a great defender and leader who every now and again had an error in him. So him being consistent for a period then making a mistake is nothing new, and we knew ahead of time that’s what he was like…
Willian is another, but opposite, a player who was consistently shite at Chelsea, and had a good game in him every now and then. It’s like we resigned Theo Walcott, only.. a shiter version.
Blogs campaign against him, Willian and Edu hasn’t helped.
Saliba hasn’t suddenly gone from being one of the top ten young players in Europe to zero. He and Gabriel will be our future first pic duo, maybe as soon as next season. Holding, Mari as back up with Tierney and Medley as third level if the injury curse strikes deep.
not possible. 150k max. cos we ‘saved’ 350 from ozil, but we still have WTF (Willian The Fraud) on the books on 200k
If he really wants to keep playing at the top level with us, offer him a one-year contract at a lower wage. He’ll play less, he’s not getting any younger. If he’s staying for his experience we shouldn’t be paying him top wages.
If he doesn’t want to take a wage cut to stay, well then that tells you everything you need to know.
Pay as you play, with special NoFuckUps clause
-100K for every red card or penalty.
I don’t dislike him and he had some very good games, but I would rather see us build our defence around Holding, Saliba, Gabriel and Mari, plus see what Chambers can do next year.
Luiz could still be a good dressing room addition, but if he’s OK to take a pay cut and play less.
We’re fast becoming the Brazilian retirement club. I hear Pele’s on the lookout for a new club…
Pele will be the king of the soccer pitch at Arsenal FC. To be the king of your kitchen, use crestfield wax paper
At the age of 80 he is probably similar to Willian.
He’d be better than Willian.
The Duke of Edinburgh would be better than Willian.
As long as it’s not Prince Andrew.
Especially with all the young talent we have.
He seems to have a reputation for being really good or really bad for the dressing room depending on how things are going. Can also see it on the pitch sometimes. We’ve beaten West Ham, Sheff Utd, Newcastle, West Brom and Southampton with him in the team. And he was iffy for the last. A cheaper defender should be able to perform the same and he won’t get better. Another one where we should learn to cut our losses at the end of the season and invest limited funds wiser. Mostly I can’t stand his freekicks. I don’t think he’s… Read more »
Make him earn a new deal
And then pull the plug on that deal
2 / 3 weeks ago the rumour mill was claiming that these two didn’t speak directly due to the treatment of some players. This tells me that a group of Arsenal fans are full of shit and some even fabricate stories for their own gain.
You da man!
True, so tired of the haters overpowering the fans of the club.
I get what he contributes and he seems to be good with the younger players but keeping him another year blocks the likes of Saliba from having chances in the team. If Luiz was a great defender I’d understand but we all know he is very unpredictable. I thought when MA arrived he would really focus on our younger players and the club would have a tangible long term plan to get us back to the top with these players and more being added. Instead he seems to focus more on the likes of Luiz, Willian, etc and give them… Read more »
Actually, the long term plan is obvious. The club has focused on quite a few young players.
However, you need a few old heads around for the experience they provide. That’s where Luiz comes in. I’m not saying he should get a new contract. I’m just saying I get what Arteta is talking about when he says he’s an important member of the dressing room.
Hopefully someone else can fill that void when he’s gone.
I think he has been better this season then last (when he broke the record for red cards in a season!!) so credit where credit is due, my strong dislike of him has eased somewhat. But he does feel like a liability and I don’t actually trust all this “he’s great in the dressing room” stuff. And how he dawdles on the ball inviting the press, and as mentioned by others, his god awful free kicks, leave me so annoyed.
My opinion is to give him a 1 year contract without any upward review of his wages
As long as he never ever again takes a free kick for Arsenal. He has wasted numerous great opportunities. His “seniority” should have nothing to do with exerting himself in this way. Neither should Willian. He’s equally useless in freekicks and corners
You just jinx it. Luiz to score a freekick against Wolves. LOL
No. He has done quite well lately
But we have several much younger and at least as good CBs who we should really invest time into instead of him. He shouldn’t be blocking the path of the 5 that might have a long term future here – Gabriel, Mari, Holding Chambers, Saliba
And I don’t really like how he plays on the ball – ie delaying in order to spot that 1 killer pass, rather than just moving the ball quickly
One of Arteta’s favourites… So expect the extension to happen.
So called ‘ PROCESS ‘ my ass…
I appreciate what he has done, but I also think his usefulness as a player would be much diminished by next season, assuming Gabriel and Mari start it in fit condition. As far as leadership, I think it is time for others in the squad to take on that mantle. If Arteta feels no one else can, then that’s worth another discussion. No matter how well arteta gets on with him, I think that paying Luiz to babysit is the wrong message to send the rest of the team.
A future together, hopefully in another team
Luiz is a great personality and a leader. I think he is a very positive influence in Arsenal for the younger players. Would be very happy if he can extend on a 1 to 2 years contract.
Not for me thanks.
He’s 34 in April. Time to say thank you and goodbye.
If anything, a one year deal at half his wages knowing he’s being filtered out.
He’s probably off to Benefica for a 2 year deal I think.
Everyone must be watching a different game than I am. I see Hairball always dive steps behind the man he’s supposed to be marking. “Build a defense around him”? Only if Gunners are seeking relegation.
if he’s good, he can sign on a new 2-year deal, or even a 5-8-year deal. we could do with a new coach for the team on 5k per month.
A contract reflective of his reduced playing time would be acceptable
Not his biggest fan. His start at Arsenal was just not good enough, but to be fair he has settled and improved a lot recently. If he can keep his good form going to the end of the season then a 1-year extension might not be a bad idea.
Sign of a manager that is not confident. He has a lot of assets in at Cback now. But he can’t seem to make up his mind and is unable to manage some of the younger assets like Saliba. It makes little sense to be giving Luiz another extension. To me regardless of mistakes here and there, Arteta needs to be building on Mari, Holding and Gabriel. He needs a good amount of regularity between these players. To his defense, he has obviously be concern firstly with eeking out points bc of how poor we have been therefore he has… Read more »