Arsenal: 5 David Luiz alternatives with summer exit confirmed

Arsenal will bid farewell to one of their senior squad members after it was mutually agreed that David Luiz would not stay beyond his current contract and instead leave when his deal expires in the summer. There are now decisions to make to replace the 34-year-old.

What can be said of David Luiz is, well, a lot. None of the stinging criticisms or broken televisions were a result of his character, however.

Someone who in his short time in north London became a key dressing room figure and a much-loved member of the squad, what he brought to Arsenal off the pitch was arguably of greater importance than that he offered on it.

Despite his plethora of faults, he has been the best central defender at the club this season: either a damning indictment of the quality on offer or testament to his improvements from his debut campaign. Glass half full, glass half empty.

Arsenal: 5 David Luiz alternatives with summer exit confirmed

What is certain is that he will need replacing in one way or another.

The call to be ‘ruthless’ from Mikel Arteta is clearly coming into effect. A popular figure and a mentor to the younger players, at his age there is no room for new contracts. It’s about building for the future and that starts by bidding farewell to those who will play no part in it.

In many ways, this move is the beginning of a substantial ripple effect. Wholesale change will come about from this point onwards and what Arsenal do next will be defining.

Can we trust those in charge to make the right decisions? If we’re starting on a clean slate, then not offering Luiz a new contract signals that they are. So, who replaces David Luiz?

William Saliba

The first one is obvious. The big-money £27m addition two years ago has played a grand total of zero minutes of senior English football. Quite the return.

And speaking of returns, he is coming back to north London at long last as his second loan spell away from the club since arriving is drawing to its close. William Saliba has totally transformed the outlook of Nice after moving in January, stepping into the heart of defence and offering a commanding and demanding presence.

He marshalls his back four alongside fellow loanee Jean-Clair Todibo, recording the well-known statistic of being dribbled past just once in his 18 matches at the club.

Statistically strong in almost every field and with distribution as his biggest strength, he is the natural replacement for Luiz.

Saliba is also untested in the Premier League. Yet to play with his teammates outside of London Colney and still learning the language, it is a huge ask for him to become the starting centre-back in Arsenal’s defence. He will rightly get his chance, but still very raw with his core attributes, patience will be needed.