Real Madrid are keeping a close eye on the situation involving Chelsea defender David Luiz and could potentially make a move in a January swoop. The Brazilian centre-back has fallen out with Chelsea manager Antonio Conte following his disapproval for being substituted in the Champions League stalemate against Roma at Stamford Bridge. There were further problems between the pair, which has left a sour taste and the Italian manager went on to conduct a fiery dressing room inquest after that match.
According to recent reports, Real Madrid are shortlisting their options for January and have identified the Brazilian as their top defensive target. The Galacticos boss, Zinedine Zidane has agreed that the club is willing to bring in fresh blood to try and kickstart their La Liga campaign and the out of favour Chelsea centre-back could be a possible target.
David Luiz has been forced to train alone since then and was excluded from the Chelsea squad for the visit of Manchester United as he seemed to have questioned Antonio Conte’s tactics. He subsequently missed the games against West Bromwich Albion and Liverpool but was finally recalled for the Champions League clash against Qarabag. The Blues manager has claimed that a knee injury will keep him out of the upcoming Premier League match against Swansea City on Wednesday night, which has cast even more doubt on his immediate Chelsea future.
When asked about David Luiz’s omission in the pre-match press conference, Antonio Conte said, “I can tell you who are the players not available for the Swansea game – it’s David Luiz, for a knee problem, and Charly Musonda. I must be honest, in this moment it’s very difficult for me to answer how long David Luiz will be out. It will be up to the doctor to assess the situation very well and then to take the best decision for the player.”
It would be a huge risk for Chelsea to lose the defender in January with the Italian manager worried about the depth of his team. However, a deal may happen if the Blues of London can find a suitable replacement. The Brazilian has just over 18 months left on his current contract. After initially leaving for Paris, he returned to the London club in the summer of 2016 for £34m. He went on to play an integral part in Chelsea’s title triumph which saw him being named in the PFA Team of the Year last season. The 30-year-old defender has only made 13 appearances for Chelsea in this campaign and has scored two goals.
With Real Madrid looking to secure his services in January, it might be a wise move for the Brazilian to make a move to Madrid in search of regular first-team football.
