David Luiz has returned to his native Brazil to sign for Rio de Janeiro side Flamengo; the 34-year-old left Arsenal at the end of his contract in June; the defender has also played for Benfica, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain
Saturday 11 September 2021 21:58, UK
Free agent David Luiz has completed a move to Brazilian club Flamengo after leaving Arsenal at the end of last season.
The 34-year-old has signed a deal until December 2022 with the Rio de Janeiro-based Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A side.
He left Arsenal at the conclusion of his contract in June after two seasons at the Emirates Stadium, in which he featured a total of 73 times in all competitions.
Luiz, who began his career in the youth set-up of Sao Paulo, made his first senior appearances with fellow Brazilian club Vitoria before featuring for Benfica, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain, who he joined in a £50m deal in 2014.
In a Twitter post which the defender retweeted, the official Flamengo account wrote: "He's been all over Europe, and was looking for a new home!
"He's won all over the world, and now is in a place where our anthem says "win, win, win...". We want to welcome David Luiz to Mengao! Our Nation is more than ready to see you in the Sacred Mantle!"
The defender is best remembered for his two spells at Chelsea between 2011 and 2014, and again from 2016 to 2019, helping the west London club win the Champions League, Europa League, Premier League and two FA Cups.
He struck up a partnership with compatriot Marquinhos in two title-winning sides at PSG between 2014 and 2016, and most recently played under Mikel Arteta at Arsenal following his arrival in 2019.
On the international stage, Luiz won 57 caps for Brazil and was part of the squad for the 2014 World Cup, which was played on home soil. He retired from international duty four years ago.
