As per BBC Sport, PSG and Chelsea have agreed to an approximately $67 million deal for the transfer of defender David Luiz. Chelsea purchased the Brazilian defender, 27, in 2011 from Benfica for $35 million and Nemanja Matic. He has made 143 appearances for the club, winning the Champions League and Europa League during his time at Stamford Bridge.
On the surface, this ludicrous amount makes little sense. Upon further inspection, the fee is even more puzzling. This indeed appears to be a legitimate move, and not a negotiation headed by a 12-year-old managing a fantasy squad.
Should Luiz agree to personal terms with the French side, he would be become the most expensive defender ever to be bought. On that list include Thiago Silva for about $60 million, Rio Ferdinand for $55 million, and Marquinhos for $45 million. The Parisians, should the Luiz deal go through, would have made three of those four transfers, all within the past two years. This makes one thing crystal clear about the PSG executives: they have no concept of value and have no issue grossly overspending for players.
The underwhelming competition that is Ligue 1 has quickly become less alluring than ever. Only six French sides have ever made the Champions League finals, with Marseille being the only ones to win the coveted trophy in 1993. Even more alarming, no French side has ever won the Europa League.
With an obvious history of lower competition level, PSG and their Qatar funding have now have virtually guaranteed them success in France every year. They have spent about $170 on three defenders over the past two years, not to mention the countless players they have brought in from across Europe.
While the Thiago Silva purchase can be justified, PSG paid $45 million for a then 18-year-old Brazilian defender who had only made 22 appearances. Now PSG plan on shattering the record fee for a defender for a 27-year-old centre-half who is known for making rash challenges and bad decisions.
According to transfermarkt.co.uk, PSG’s total market value is ¼ of the entire top division’s, meaning no other French team can possibly contend with their spending. Monaco FC, recently purchased by Russian millionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev, is the only club that could hope to compete with the Parisian sides’ spending. Their signings of Radamel Falcao and James Rodriguez announced that to the French soccer world.
This agreement for David Luiz says much more. It shows not only French football but all of the major top flights that PSG are to be taken seriously. Even after being penalized by the new UEFA Financial Fair Play rules, PSG continue to make large splashes by overpaying for players.
Say what you will about David Luiz, but his wild nature should mesh perfectly with Thiago Silva’s calm and experienced presence. Luiz will have to fight with Bayern Munich’s Dante for playing time at the World Cup, however come fall training the two will solidify a partnership that they hope will see them accomplish what only one other French side has done.
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