Luiz makes Chelsea switch

Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti has bolstered his defensive stocks by signing Benfica’s Brazilian defender David Luiz.

The move for Luiz was somewhat overshadowed by the London club’s other high-profile signing, Fernando Torres, but the signature of the 23-year-old is a significant one for Chelsea, who have struggled with injuries to key defensive players this campaign.

Benfica confirmed that they had agreed to sell Luiz in a statement to the stock exchange on Monday.

“Benfica reports that it has reached an agreement with Chelsea Football Club Ltd. of the Premier League for the definitive sale of the sporting and economic rights of the athlete David Luiz Moreira Marinho for an amount of twenty five million euros,” the statement read.

As part of the deal Chelsea midfielder Nemanja Matic will head to the Portuguese club.

Luiz’s deal takes Chelsea’s transfer deadline day spending to over 70 million pounds.

Luiz is regarded as a rising star of European club football having being named Portugal’s Player of the year for 2010 and made his senior international debut for Brazil in a friendly against the United States six months ago.

Both of Chelsea’s first choice central defenders, Alex and John Terry, have suffered injuries during this season and with both players over 28, as well as back-up Jose Bosingwa, Ancelotti has been keen to bring in a highly-credentialed youngster as part of the long-term succession plan for the Terry-Alex pairing.