Newcastle in Jan hunt for set-piece expert worth £100m+ in combined career fees - report
Newcastle United are in the hunt to sign Chelsea defender David Luiz, according to a report.
The Shields Gazette claims that Rafa Benitez is keen on a reunion with Luiz, 30, and is plotting a potential loan deal in January if the Premier League champions are willing to let the centre-back leave Stamford Bridge.
It is understood that Luiz fell out with Chelsea manager Antonio Conte earlier this season and while he is currently sidelined with an injury, he may struggle for first-team football when he is back to full fitness.
The Brazil international has moved for big money in the past few years and it would no doubt be unlikely that Newcastle would be afford to buy him outright from the Blues.
Throughout Luiz's career, the free-kick specialist has moved for combined fees totalling over £100million.
Chelsea signed the defensive enforcer, who is known for his expertise at set-pieces, for £21.3million from Benfica in 2011 before selling him to Paris Saint-Germain in 2014 for £50million - a world record fee for a defender at the time.
The London club then re-signed him last summer for £34million.
Football Insider verdict
Benitez may want Luiz at Newcastle in the same way that he may also want Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and a 25-year-old Alan Shearer - it's just not going to happen. Luiz could get into just about every team on the planet and had proven last season when he joined Chelsea that he was part of the difference in a mid-table finish to winning the Premier League title. The Londoners would probably want a hefty loan fee as well as a portion of his wages paid if the Brazilian was to leave Stamford Bridge on temporary terms, which is perhaps something Newcastle wouldn't come close to being able to afford.
In other Newcastle United news, the Magpies are second favourites to seal a January swoop for this lightning quick Premier League forward.
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