Chelsea agree record deal to sell Luiz to PSG

Chelsea agree record deal to sell Luiz to PSG

David Luiz is on the verge of joining Paris St
Germain (PSG) after Chelsea on Friday revealed they
have agreed a deal to sell the Brazil defender to the
French champions.
Luiz's move is reported to be worth a world record fee
for a defender of 50 million pounds (US$84 million, 61
million euros) and the transfer will be rubber-stamped
once he has agreed personal terms and passed a
medical.
"Chelsea Football Club and Paris Saint-Germain have
agreed terms for the transfer of David Luiz to the
French club," a statement on Chelsea's website
announced.
"The move is now subject to David Luiz agreeing
personal terms with PSG and passing a medical
examination."
PSG representatives are believed to have flown out to
Brazil to complete Luiz's medical at the World Cup
hosts' training base on Friday.
The French club's willingness to shatter the record for
a defender was motivated by their desire to seal a deal
before Barcelona or Bayern Munich could swoop for the
centre-back.
PSG claim the formalities of the deal will be completed
on June 10 to ensure Luiz can concentrate on the
forthcoming World Cup.
A statement on the PSG website read: "Paris St
Germain, Chelsea FC and David Luiz would like to
confirm that they reached an agreement regarding the
terms of an upcoming transfer of the Brazilian defender
that would occur during the next transfer window
which is to start on 10 June 2014.
"In accordance with the player's wish to prepare for
and play in the World Cup in his home country in the
best possible conditions, both clubs and David Luiz
wished to reach an agreement as soon as possible
between, on the one hand, Paris St Germain and
Chelsea FC, and on the other, between the Parisian
club and the player, in order to formalise the transfer
as soon as the transfer window opens."
The hefty price convinced Chelsea to off-load Luiz,
who was primarily used in a defensive midfield role by
Blues manager Jose Mourinho after being unable to
break up the central defensive partnership of John
Terry and Gary Cahill.
Luiz, who joined the west Londoners from Benfica for
£21.3 million in January 2011, made only 19
appearances in the Premier League this season,
although he did help Chelsea eliminate PSG from the
Champions League quarter-finals.
The 27-year-old's fee will beat the two previous
highest fees for a defender, both paid by PSG for
Marquinhos, who cost 30.1 million pounds, and Thiago
Silva, who arrived from AC Milan for 35.3 million
pounds.
Meanwhile, the previous best deal received by an
English club for a defender was when Rio Ferdinand
left Leeds for Manchester United for 30 million pounds
12 years ago.
The healthy profit Chelsea have made on Luiz's sale is
likely to be reinvested in the squad, with Atletico
Madrid striker Diego Costa reportedly Mourinho's
number one target.
With Luiz on the way out after 143 appearances for
Chelsea, Mourinho is likely to give more opportunities
to highly-rated young defender Tomas Kalas, who
impressed in the team's 2-0 win at Liverpool towards
the end of the season.