Chelsea could not believe their luck when Arsenal came calling to sign their ‘worst defender’ David Luiz in the summer, according to Tony Cascarino.
Unai Emery had been desperate to strengthen his rearguard during the transfer window but left-back Kieran Tierney and William Saliba, who was loaned straight back to Saint Etienne, were the only new arrivals in that department.
Arsenal had coveted the likes of Dayot Upamecano and Daniele Rugani but ended up signing Luiz on deadline day after the experienced Brazilian fell out with Frank Lampard.
The Chelsea manager has placed his faith in the likes of Fikayo Tomori and Kurt Zouma this season and although the pair have struggled at times, former Blues striker Cascarino insists club chiefs were more than happy to see the back of Luiz.
‘David Luiz,’ he wrote in his column in The Times when asked to name the worst signing of last summer.
‘When Arsenal bought the Brazil defender in the summer for £8m I know that Chelsea’s reaction was: ‘Wow, they’ve taken our poorest defender’.
‘You have that familiar image of him chasing after a forward who has got behind him: opponents always know that the 32-year-old will give them space by wandering out of position.
‘He is a fine footballer who sprays the ball around well but for a player with so much experience his defending is not good enough.’
Luiz is likely to start at the heart of Arsenal’s defence when they entertain his old club at the Emirates tomorrow in what will be Mikel Arteta’s first game in charge at home.
The former PSG centre-half will face his ex-teammate Cesar Azpilicueta and the Spaniard paid tribute to Luiz ahead of the London derby.
He said: ‘When I arrived he was here, then he went to PSG and came back.
‘Now he’s a player that was very important here, part of the squad that won the Champions League, two Europa Leagues and the Premier League with [Antonio] Conte
‘We know that football changes, players move here and move there. Now he’s started a new chapter for him at Arsenal. On Sunday he will be a rival and we will fight for our teams.’
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