Charles Watts thinks that David Luiz could be in a position to earn himself a new contract at Arsenal.
The 33-year-old is entering the final 18 months of his contract at the Emirates Stadium, and it’s fair to say that his time at the club hasn’t exactly been the smoothest.
This stat (via Opta) from earlier in the season after his red card against Wolves, claimed that since making his Premier League debut for Arsenal in August 2019, he has received more red cards (3) and conceded more penalties (6) than any other player in the competition.
But at the same time, he’s also shown glimpses of being a capable Premier League defender and has been praised by boss Mikel Arteta for his leadership abilities within the side.
That is why Watts, speaking on the latest edition of his show felt that Luiz, valued at £5.4m on Transfermarkt, might have put himself in a position to get a new deal at the club.
He said: “David Luiz, who will be out of contract in summer – playing very, very well at the moment. Is he worth another year’s extension if he wants to do that? Personally, I’m beginning to lean towards the idea of actually giving him a new one.
“But I think if you’re looking at it [in] a business sense, is that a wise decision? I’m not sure, but I think he’s playing so well at the moment and he’s so good behind the scenes that potentially, it might be worth him sticking around for another year.”
Is it a good reason to extend Luiz's contract because he's a leader?
No, he should leave ASAP
Yes, he's an important player
TIF Thoughts on Charles Watts’ comments about David Luiz’ contract at Arsenal…
Given his age and inconsistency, it’s hard to imagine that there would be many clubs who would be willing to pay big money for Luiz to sign for them, so if Watts’ assessment of the situation plays out, it might be worth holding onto him and getting as much out of him as they can.
To have that one veteran in the team whilst the club continues to build around some of their younger talents could prove vital in their development and worth more in the long run than purely looking at what he would be costing them in terms of wages.