While it’ll be a surprise to few that David Luiz has penned a new deal, there’s plenty of potential significance in the length of his new contact.
Luiz has been a mainstay in Maurizio Sarri’s starting eleven this term, yet both he and the club allowed his contract to run dangerously low.
We had expected the Brazilian to pen an extension, especially with Chelsea’s upcoming transfer ban, but it’s a huge surprise that the club gave him two years.
Chelsea have had a club policy of only handing players over the age of 30 a one year extension. Marina giving Luiz two is unique – but encouraging.
The fact that Chelsea are willing to compromise for players with Luiz’s influence, for the good of the team, is only going to prove to be a good thing.
We were not prepared to do it for Frank Lampard, John Terry or Ashley Cole, so perhaps Marina is softening as the years pass, or her understanding of the club has developed.
The issue she has now is negotiations with the likes of Willian and Pedro, whose contracts expire next year, will become complicated.
They’re both (understandably) going to want Marina to bend the rules once again for them, and if she’s not willing, it could see them driven out.
Time will tell.
