Mikel Arteta confirms David Luiz will leave Arsenal this summer

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has confirmed centre back David Luiz will leave the club as a free agent at the end of the season when his contract expires.

Luiz is out of contract this summer and Arsenal have already been linked with Fulham defender Tosin Adarabioyo as a possible replacement for the 34-year-old Brazilian.

Luiz arrived from Chelsea for around £8m in August 2019 and has played over 70 games for the Gunners, winning the FA Cup against his former side last summer.

“He is a player that has won everything in football and has earned every right to do so because of who he is as a player and as a person,” Arteta said, via Arsenal.com.

“I had the privilege to work with him for 18 months, which I really enjoyed. We got on really well, we had some great moments together, he has been really helpful, someone that we really like and appreciate so much, so I just say thank you to him and wish him the best of luck in his next chapter.

“We had very clear talks in the last few months. We already had a big decision to make last year when we had to extend his contract in a very difficult moment during the COVID world, the pay cuts and everything,” the manager explained.

“We managed to extend that for one more season. He's given his best, I tried to help him as much as I possibly could, and the club did as well. After some conversations, we decided it's the best way to do it now.”

Luiz has missed Arsenal’s last three games in all competitions through injury and will be unavailable for the penultimate game of the season away against Crystal Palace on Wednesday night. Arsenal then host Brighton on the final day of the campaign on Sunday 23 May.

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