HE CAN BE THE NEXT TERRY

IT looks as though David Luiz has been brought in as the long-term successor to John Terry at Chelsea, and I think it’s a very good signing. When they sold him to PSG for £50million in June 2014, it was touted as excellent business. He was well liked but seen as an unreliable defender, concerns that were vindicated a month later when he put in a terrible performance as Brazil conceded seven to Germany in the World Cup. It was quickly forgotten how influential Luiz had been at Chelsea. He was a real leader at the back and you can’t overstate the part he played in the 2012 Champions League final victory. Chelsea were 2-0 down to Bayern Munich in the penalty shootout when the Brazilian stepped up and drilled home his spot-kick — it was a real momentum changer. It’ll be fascinating to see how he has developed in the past two years, and I expect him to settle in quickly. Sometimes when you return to a club, as I did with Arsenal, it feels like you’ve got a lot to prove — like you’ve got unfinished business. He may feel that Jose Mourinho wasn’t a fan of his and that he’ll have more of a chance under Antonio Conte. If he is indeed set to replace Terry, his composure at the back must improve. He can be erratic and impatient, and tries to pinch the ball off the striker’s toe too often. He was all over the place against Germany without the suspended Thiago Silva by his side but he is older and, hopefully, wiser now and decision-making usually improves with age. Of course, Luiz is very good with the ball at his feet. With title rivals Manchester City having brought in John Stones, who is also excellent in possession, Conte may be looking to add similar technical ability to his backline. And you can bet the Italian will knock Luiz’s defending into shape.