Chelsea: David Luiz closing in on €40m PSG move

Chelsea are in advanced talks with French champions Paris St-Germain over the sale of defender David Luiz for about £40m. Continue.....

The 27-year-old Brazil international joined the Blues from Benfica for £21.3m in January 2011.

He has made 143 appearances, featuring predominantly at centre-back but also as a defensive midfielder.

Luiz has three years left on a five-year contract he signed in September 2012.

The Brazilian has been the subject of interest from Barcelona  in the last two summers, but French champions PSG - despite recently failing Uefa's financial fair play (FFP) rules - are set to break the transfer record for a defender to secure his services.

World's most expensive defenders
Player	From	To	Amount (£m)	Date
Thiago Silva	AC Milan	Paris St-Germain	36	2012
Rio Ferdinand	Leeds United	Manchester United	33.1	2002
Marquinhos	Parma	Paris St-Germain	27	2013
Fabio Coentrao	Benfica	Real Madrid	27	2011
Pepe	Porto	Real Madrid	25	2007

Chelsea only narrowly complied with FFP and see this as a sensible piece of business, given the profit it would generate.

Luiz is not part of manager Jose Mourinho's first-choice central defensive pairing and his exit would provide funds to strengthen in other areas.

Atletico Madrid striker Diego Costa is among those linked with a move to Stamford Bridge.