Former Chelsea player and manager Gianfranco Zola has claimed Arsenal signing David Luiz is ‘brilliant’ and believes there is nobody like him for breaking the lines from the back.

ST ALBANS, ENGLAND - AUGUST 08: New Arsenal signing David Luiz at London Colney on August 08, 2019 in St Albans, England. (Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
ST ALBANS, ENGLAND – AUGUST 08: New Arsenal signing David Luiz at London Colney on August 08, 2019 in St Albans, England. (Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

The Chelsea man arrived at Arsenal this summer as an unexpected signing with a mixed reputation.

While some focused on his reputation for making mistakes (as Matthew put it on the Daily Cannon podcast this week, ‘when he makes a mistake, he doesn’t f**k about’), others focused on his ball-playing abilities.

Speaking to BeIn Sports, Zola said, “I don’t think there is anybody as good as him in breaking the lines from the back.

“He gets on the ball, he’s always got this passing in between the lines, or switching the play, he can make a big difference. For us, last year, he was very important.

“Considering what Arsenal need, it’s a brilliant move because he’s exactly the type of player they need.”

He then went on to add, “My first reaction was that something must have happened in the changing room because I couldn’t see him leaving the club.

“They always gave him a big value for what he did in the changing room. [Gary] Cahill leaving was another one, another big voice, I didn’t expect him to leave.”

It should be noted that Frank Lampard has dismissed rumours that there was a problem between him and Luiz whilst he also rubbished stories that the 32-year-old had went on strike to force a move to Arsenal.