David Luiz reveals key reason behind joining ‘big club’ Arsenal from Chelsea

David Luiz has revealed Unai Emery played a key role in persuading him to leave Chelsea and secure an £8m deadline day move to Arsenal.

Emery was desperately trying to strengthen his options in defence during the closing days of the transfer window after Laurent Koscielny left Arsenal to join Bordeaux earlier this week.

The Gunners were linked with a whole host of names but Luiz emerged as a shock target on Wednesday when news broke that Arsenal were in advanced negotiations with Chelsea over a potential deal.

Things moved quickly and Luiz was soon travelling to north London to undergo his medical and agree personal terms with Arsenal chiefs at London Colney on Thursday morning.

The transfer was announced last night with the BBC claiming Arsenal paid Chelsea £8m for the 32-year-old’s signature and Luiz has now conducted his first interview since sealing his switch to the Emirates.

The Brazilian centre-back expressed his delight at joining another ‘big club’ and said the time was right to leave Chelsea following a three year spell at Stamford Bridge. Luiz also confirmed Emery played a big role in persuading him to join Arsenal as he was keen to link-up with the Spanish coach again having played under him at Paris Saint-Germain.

Luiz became Arsenal’s sixth signing of the summer and he hopes the new players can help bring trophies back to the Emirates while the South American says he’s looking forward to playing alongside Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang rather than against them.

He told Arsenal.com:

David, welcome to Arsenal. How does it feel to have joined us?

Thank you – it’s a great feeling. It’s a new cycle in my life, in my career as a footballer. I’m excited to play for this big club. I grew up watching a lot of Arsenal games, especially the great players from the past, so I’m excited to try to help this club to do some big things.

What was it about Arsenal that appealed to you?

It’s a big club – not just in England, but everybody around the world knows how big Arsenal is. When I had an opportunity to come to this kind of big club, I had to take it. That’s why I’m here.

You know Unai Emery from your time at PSG. How big a part did he play in your decision?

A big, big part. I know him, I know some people from the club. I know Edu, I know Raul, I know the quality of the team, the players, and that’s what makes me excited to dream, to have the ambition to win big things. I think all my life, I’ve always started the season with the goal to win things. It’s not going to be different here – I’m going to come with this mentality because this is what made me move here. This is what makes me feel good every single day. I have to run for one reason, for one goal, and my goal is to win things with Arsenal.

It’s been a big summer for Arsenal, with lots of new players coming in. Who are you looking forward to playing alongside?

Like I said, I think it’s a great squad with a lot of quality and I just hope me, Dani Ceballos and Pepe can give a lot for this squad, for this club, to improve and to help everybody.

Which Arsenal players have given you a tough time down the years?

It has to be the strikers! It was always this openings I had to try to stop. I’m happy now that I can have Lacazette and Aubameyang on my side, so it’s much easier now!

Luiz will provide Arsenal with a vastly experienced replacement for former captain Koscielny and the fact he won’t need time to adjust to life in the Premier League will be a big boost for the Gunners.

It was a busy window for Arsenal as they signed six new players with Luiz following Gabriel Martinelli, William Saliba, Dani Ceballos, Nicolas Pepe and Kieran Tierney in moving to the Emirates this summer.