Chelsea Willian..and Willian Chelsea

WE WANT OUR BEST PLAYERS TO STAY, SAYS LUIZ

DAVID LUIZ believes it will take “something totally out of reality” for Willian to leave Chelsea before the transfer window closes this week.

After making his first club start for six months in the 2-0 Community Shield defeat by Manchester City, Luiz predicted his Brazil team-mate would stay at Stamford Bridge, saying: “Chelsea loves Willian, and Willian loves Chelsea.”

Manchester United are keen on Willian, but the player himself reaffirmed his commitment to the Blues after making a 30-minute appearance from the bench at Wembley.

When Willian, 29, missed five days of training because of passportrelated issues, it fuelled speculation he was angling for a move. But Luiz said: “He’s a fantastic player and a fantastic friend.

“Since the beginning, he told me he loved Chelsea. To leave, he would have to do something totally out of reality or if Chelsea really wanted to kick him out.

“But this is not the reality – Chelsea loves Willian, and Willian loves Chelsea, so that’s great.”

Luiz is also hopeful Belgium World Cup pair Eden Hazard and Thibaut Courtois will stay – although both could be heading for Real Madrid.

The Champions League winners cashed in on Cristiano Ronaldo this summer and Hazard would be a marquee replacement.

Keeper Courtois is keen on a return to the Spanish capital, where he spent three years with Atletico Madrid between 2011-14.

Luiz said: “Chelsea wants for the best players to stay.

“They know what they have had here, the fun they have had here, everybody loves them and I hope they can stay. But if they decide to leave, we will continue with fantastic players.”

Luiz also warned it could take time for new Chelsea coach Maurizio Sarri’s methods to take root.

He added: “We have started a new philosophy, a new method, with a new coach. City are in the third consecutive year with the same coach, the same philosophy – but in the first year, it was a struggle and it was not easy for them to understand Pep Guardiola’s philosophy straight away.

“We are starting now, so it was never going to be easy to play against them.”