A lot has been made of David Luiz’s return to Chelsea after a few years at Paris Saint-Germain, but slowly and surely, the Brazilian defender is becoming a first choice centre-back for Antonio Conte.
Since spending the game on the bench away from Swansea, the 29-year-old has played every minute of every game for the London club, and even helped them get their first clean sheet in over a month against Hull City.
Speaking to France Football this week, Willian explained how nice it was to have his long-term friend back at the club.
He said: “I was so happy he came back. It’s like if he came home. We know each other since we were kids. Our friendship goes way back, we were eight. At the time, he didn’t have that mane on his head. Neither did I, actually. We had short hair and were tiny.
“When he signed for Chelsea, he told me: ‘I welcomed you the first time, now it’s your turn’. I hope he finds his place in the team quickly. We need him. He signed in stoppage time of the transfer window, but I’d known for a few days already.”
While we know it’s hard to imagine David Luiz without all of his hair, the fact Willian knew of Luiz’s transfer a few days before it happened suggests the deal might not have been as last minute as it was made out to be.
Maybe, just maybe, Conte actually wanted the Brazilian defender at his new club after all.
