JEST MAN TO BEST MAN

Luiz has gone from dressing-room joker to defensive rock for the champions

DAVID LUIZ wants to complete his remarkable transformation from comedy figure to Chelsea elder statesman.

Luiz was derided in his first spell at the club as a dressing-room joker and TV pundit Gary Neville called him a “Playstation footballer”, after savaging his defensive ability.

But Luiz, 30, clearly feels as if he proved his point last season, playing a huge part in the Blues’ title success and being a major cog in the three-man defensive machine which most teams have tried to copy.

Chelsea centre-back Luiz has gone full circle but still does not take anything for granted, making it clear he expects Gary Cahill to be made captain after John Terry’s departure.

That sums up his humility but there was clearly also a sense of unfinished business last season after returning to Chelsea following two years at Paris Saintgermain.

“I came back with the ambition to win the Premier League and I concentrated on this goal,” Luiz said. “I was trying to do my best. In the end, we got what we deserved

“The season was important for me personally because it was a pleasure. When you get pleasure doing something it is different to just getting titles and proof of success. I play football because it gives me pleasure.

“The day I finish my plans to play football, I’ll go to Brazil. My life has changed, especially on the financial side, and so I can choose. I have a simple life in Brazil and I’m happy with this.

“I play football because it gives me pleasure and because I have ambition. Last season was great because I had a dream and my dream came true. I had a dream to win the Premier League.

“I was here for four seasons (in my first spell) and didn’t get the opportunity to win. So it was great for me this time.”

The Brazil defender now cuts a much more serious figure and clearly has a chip on his shoulder from the criticism during his first spell at the club.

But he also enjoys being a leader and is relishing the extra responsibility under Antonio Conte.

Luiz said: “I love the responsibility. Since I was young. I was the youngest captain in Benfica history, so I was always taking responsibility.

“JT was a leader. He was not just the guy with the armband. He was a leader and a great guy, especially last season, which was a different season for his career, because he didn’t play a lot. He was still great with the team, trying to help and to be together.”

So who will be captain next? “I don’t know,” said Luiz. “I think it continues to be Gary. Gary’s playing, why not?”

Luiz has also set his sights on winning more trophies but added: “We need to build a strong squad and a strong team, if we want to win the title and do well in the Champions League.

“Everybody will want to beat us and we need to improve ourselves to be better than last season.”