Brazilian tells Blues he wants transfer to Camp Nou next season.
Check in to Transfer Window: Done Deal Alerts
Chelsea have suffered a huge blow after it emerged that key defender David Luiz wants to move to Spanish champions FC Barcelona this summer, according to reports in the Daily Mail.
The coveted Brazil international has been the subject of recent interest in his services from the Liga giants, whose new head coach Gerardo Martino has earmarked the 26-year-old as his number one transfer target of the close-season window.
However, the Catalans saw a bid of £25 million for Luiz rejected out of hand by the west London club last week, although that offer has been enough for the central defender to tell the Blues that he now wants to move to Camp Nou next season.
And as a result, Chelsea are understood to be bracing themselves for a second improved bid from Barcelona of £31m for the Brazilian, although even that big-money offer is still a massive £12m below the club’s valuation of their star man.
Either way, it now looks like new Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho will have a fight on his hands to keep hold of his highly rated centre back at Stamford Bridge before the summer transfer window closes on Sept 2, although the club are understood to be desperate to hang on to the Brazilian, who has scored 12 goals in 109 matches for the Uefa Europa League holders since January 2011.