Chelsea boss Antonio Conte believes he can turn David Luiz into one of the best defenders in the world.
The Brazilian completed a sensational deadline day return to Stamford Bridge following a two-year spell at PSG and is expected to make his second for the Blues at Swansea on Sunday.
While the 29-year-old’s erratic defensive displays have been criticised in the past, Conte believes he can improve Luiz, pointing his his development of Giorgio Chiellini, Leonardo Bonucci and Andrea Barzagli as a testament to his coaching methods.
“At 29, he is at a fantastic age to become one of the best defenders in the world,” Conte is quoted as saying in the Guardian.
“You can always improve and I’m seeing great commitment from him. He wants to play for Chelsea. This is a great opportunity for him also to improve. I repeat: he has good characteristics to become a fantastic defender.
“It’s important to remember when I started at Juventus, with Chiellini, Bonucci and Barzagli, the defence had been conceding a lot of goals. I remember that, before my arrival, many people told me: ‘They are no good, these defenders. No good.’ But then I started to work with them, I found a great commitment and attitude.
“Through the work, now we are talking about three of the best defenders in the world in Chiellini, Bonucci and Barzagli. But remember, when we started in that first year at Juventus, it wasn’t like that.”
For more stats on David Luiz, click here to view his WhoScored player page
