Arsenal Ponder Stunning £25m Swoop for Premier League Rivals Chelsea's Out-of-Favour Defender

Arsenal are believed to be weighing-up a shock £25m January swoop for Chelsea defender David Luiz, who appears to have fallen out of favour with the Blues' manager Antonio Conte. 

Luiz rejoined Chelsea from Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain last season, and was a pivotal player in Conte's 2016/17 title-winning side.

However, as reported by the Sun, Luiz has been out of action for almost a month with a knee injury, while rumours persists of a rift between the Brazilian and his manager. The Gunners are thought to be poised to make a move for the 30-year-old, who's disciplined defensive displays last season won over a number of critics who had previously deemed the player as inconsistent.

Luiz is a somewhat of a fan's favourite at Stamford Bridge - with his relentless enthusiasm and tendency to gee up the crowd at set-pieces making him a popular figure at the west London club. However, a dismal performance in Chelsea's 3-0 loss to Roma drew comparisons with his lackadaisical performances of the past, and was thought to have enraged Conte.

After Luiz picked up a knee injury against Qarabag in the Champions League, young Danish star Andreas Christensen has flourished for the Blues - slotting into their back-three with aplomb. 

The 21-year-old has staked a place for a regular starting spot, with his performances against Huddersfield Town and Newcastle United being particularly impressive.

Chelsea fans would most-likely be aggrieved to see another player leave for a fellow Premier League side - with the likes of Petr Čech, Nemanja Matić, Juan Mata, Nathan Ake, Dominic Solanke, and Nathaniel Chalobah all leaving the club for their domestic rivals in recent seasons.