Football
Liam Twomey, Chelsea correspondent 5y

Chelsea sign David Luiz to new deal through 2021

LONDON -- David Luiz has agreed a new contract at Chelsea, keeping him at Stamford Bridge until 2021.

Talks between Chelsea and Luiz -- who has made 47 appearances under Maurizio Sarri this season -- had dragged on for several months, with the club's policy of only offering players over 30 one-year extensions understood to have been the main problem.

Luiz helped Chelsea beat Eintracht Frankfurt in a dramatic penalty shootout at Stamford Bridge on Thursday to reach the Europa League final.

Upon extending his stay with Chelsea, Luiz said: "I am so happy to be here and to have this opportunity to stay. I love this club and I still have the ambition of a young player.

"It means a lot to reach another European final, and we still have the opportunity to finish in the top three of the Premier League this season and I will continue to try to do my best to help the team."

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Chelsea's victory over Frankfurt set up an all-English final against Arsenal on May 29, three days before Liverpool take on Tottenham in only the second Champions League final between two Premier League sides.

"I am happy that English football is showing again it's at the top level, to have the finalists in the Champions League and Europa League," Luiz said after Thursday's win.

"For many years it was difficult for the English teams to understand how to rotate the team and how to get to the same level for every competition. This season they did great."

Chelsea and Arsenal have each won one of their two league meetings this season, and Luiz said he was wary of the threat the Gunners would pose in Baku.

"It is going to be a difficult game," he said. "They have a great team and a great coach. He [Unai Emery] knows how to win this competition.

"I worked with him a bit at Paris [Saint-Germain] and I know how passionate he is. He knows how to play these kind of games. It is up to us to prepare well.

"We have to try to win the trophy. We know that if we win they will not be in the Champions League. This will be better for us because we put a fantastic team out of the Champions League."

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