• Premier League

Barcelona get serious over David Luiz

ESPN staff
August 7, 2013
Barcelona have an official in London for meetings with David Luiz's agent © PA Photos
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Barcelona have tabled a £35 million for for Chelsea's David Luiz, acccording to Sky Sports News.

The Brazilian defender has been linked with a move to the Nou Camp all summer, despite new Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho's insistence that neither he nor Juan Mata were for sale.

Bayern Munich had expressed interest in the 26-year-old earlier this summer but that cooled when Chelsea said they wanted around £60million. Barcelona believe that they can do a deal for cash and players in exchange.

The Daily Mail said that Barcelona football director Raul Sanllehi was in London to meet with Luiz's agent Giuliano Bertolucci and that Chelsea had privately indicated a fee of nearer £40 million was needed. That would represent a substantial profit on a player signed for £21 million in 2011.

Luiz played 30 minutes of the match with Inter Milan last Thursday and has withdrawn from Wednesday's game against Real Madrid in Miami and did not train with the side on Tuesday.

He signed a new five-year deal with Chelsea last September but has been unsure of his future at the club under Mourinho.

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