Shocked Kia Joorabchian sets record straight on £24m Luiz fee
Renowned agent Kia Joorabchian has blasted a report claiming that he demanded £6million in payment as part of David Luiz’s move to Arsenal last summer.
Luiz moved to The Emirates from Chelsea on what was thought to be a two-year deal but it emerged last week that the deal was only for one season.
What’s more, it has also been claimed that it cost Arsenal £24million in total to fund the move, made up of the £8million transfer fee, Luiz’s £10million salary and £6million in agent’s fees – with the latter to be paid to Joorabchian.
Speaking to Sky Sports News, however, the agent was quick to deny the part of the reported deal, insisting that he demanded a much cheaper fee.
“The agent’s fee that was reported by The Athletic is so, so, so wrong,” Joorabchian said. The fee for David was less than 10 per cent of that.”
Luiz remains on course to become a free agent when his deal expires at the end of the season and he has confirmed talks with Benfica president Luis Filipe Vieira about returning to his former club – although not in the immediate future.
Luiz said lining up again for the Portuguese club – where he spent four seasons as a player – would be one of the “most beautiful” moments of his career.
However, Joorabchian insisted that there is a “very high” chance that his client would be playing for Arsenal next season, while also setting the record straight on the centre-back’s contractual situation.
The agent said: “He’s very happy at Arsenal. He has an extremely good relationship with both the coach and the sporting director. He has good relationships all throughout the club, right up to the owner. He respects everybody.
“Arsenal had an option, which expired. We also had a pandemic [coronavirus]. So the option expired in the middle of the pandemic. We are all very aware of that situation and we are all trying, very slowly, to get back to this ‘new normal’.
“These contract situations, these renewals, if he stays or if he goes… will all sort themselves out when we get back to some kind of ‘new normal’.
“David will sit down with Arsenal before the season begins, have his conversations and they will both decide if he will stay or not. That will come before the season starts.
“The chances are very high [of Luiz being at Arsenal next season]. There is no desire to leave.”
Luiz has made 32 appearances for the Gunners this season, chipping in with two goals.
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