Representatives of David Luiz have begun to contact potential suitors for the Brazilian defender's signature with his Arsenal future in doubt as he enters the final weeks of his contract.
Luiz's current terms at Arsenal expire at the end of the season and there is so far no clarity as to whether the veteran center back will be offered a third year with the Gunners. He is much admired by Mikel Arteta for his on and off-field leadership qualities but injuries have hamstrung him this season.
Meanwhile those close to the player have begun the process of finding potential destinations for him next season. Among those who have been offered Luiz's services is a club in MLS, sources told CBS Sports, but the 34-year-old's salary means that they viewed a move for him as unlikely even as a designated player, who would not count against the league's salary cap.
Luiz has also been linked with a move to Serie A club Lazio and is understood to earn around $140,000 a week at Arsenal. The Brazilian took a pay cut nearly a year ago to secure a second season at the Emirates Stadium having arrived from Chelsea for $11.1million in the summer of 2019, signing a one year deal with the option for a further 12 months.
Currently sidelined with a hamstring injury after having undergone knee surgery in early April, Luiz is aiming to feature again for the Gunners this season and Arsenal are hopeful that the injury will not be so serious as to rule him out for the remainder of the campaign.
"He felt something in his hamstring so it's not good news," manager Mikel Arteta said of the injury to Luiz. "He's put such a shift to be back with the team for the last few weeks after the knee surgery and it's a real shame."
Arsenal currently have center-backs Gabriel, Pablo Mari, Rob Holding and Calum Chambers on the books for next season, though the latter has predominantly been used as a right-back in recent weeks.
Young loanees Konstantinos Mavropanos and William Saliba will also be returning to the Gunners with sources indicating that Arteta plans to give the latter a chance to win his place in the first team setup over pre-season. Saliba was signed for $37.5million and immediately loaned back to Saint-Etienne in the summer of 2019 before spending the second half of this season on loan at fellow Ligue 1 club Nice where he has impressed with regular game time.
