David Luiz has made a sensational return to Chelsea, after completing a deadline day move from PSG. Chelsea shelled out £57 million on the final day of the transfer window, also bringing in the Spanish left-back Marcos Alonso from Fiorentina.
While a handy sum of £23m was paid to sign Alonso, it is the Luiz arrival that caught the attention, understandably so, considering the Brazil international left Chelsea two years ago for a staggering amount of £50m. The Blues have paid PSG an initial £34m to bring the player back to Stamford Bridge.
Antonio Conte, the new Chelsea manager, tried in vain to bring in a central defender during the course of the transfer window, with the club failing in bids for Kalidou Koulibaly of Napoli and AC Milan's Alessio Romagnoli.
Having seen a loan approach for Marquinhos rebuffed by PSG, it looked like Chelsea might have to settle for a temporary move for Aymen Abdennour of Valencia, but once it became clear that Luiz wanted a return to Chelsea, everything changed.
Chelsea had an initial offer of £30m rejected by PSG, but once they upped their offer, and with the 29-year-old keen to leave the Parisian club, the move was completed much before the transfer deadline.
"I'm delighted to return to Chelsea," Luiz told the club's official website. "We had a fantastic story during my first time at the club and I want to help the team and Antonio Conte achieve a lot of success.
"I always had a wonderful relationship with the fans and I am looking forward to wearing the blue shirt at Stamford Bridge once again."
Alonso will add much-required cover at left-back, after Antonio Conte allowed Baba Rahman to leave on loan to Schalke.
"I'm very happy. It's a step up in my career and I think this is the perfect place for me to continue developing," Alonso said. "It's time for me to win some titles.
"It was an easy decision for me to make when I heard the club were interested in signing me. My family and close friends know Chelsea is the club I have dreamed about playing for so I'm really excited about the challenge and I'm looking forward to working with my new teammates."
