Chelsea Transfer News: Blues Must Continue to Resist Interest in David Luiz

After finishing third in the EPL last season, hopes are high for Chelsea as the 2013-14 campaign approaches. Making a run at Manchester United atop the league certainly isn't outside the realm of possibility, but the Blues must retain center-back David Luiz in order to do so.

According to Sky Sports Football, Chelsea has placed a ridiculous price tag of £60 million on its prized Brazilian defender:

That is obviously an asinine asking price that no team would ever meet, but it's a smart move on Chelsea's part. A number of high-profile teams have been inquiring about Luiz's availability, and the best way to deter those teams is to scare them away with a big number.

According to Ed Malyon of Mirror Football, Luiz is now Barcelona's No. 1 priority after Barca missed out on center-back Thiago Silva. There is obviously a great deal of prestige involved with playing at Barcelona, so Luiz could be intrigued, but Chelsea needs to ensure that nothing becomes of it.

Another team that has been linked to Luiz is defending treble champion Bayern Munich. According to Alex Hankin of Mirror Football, though, Bayern boss Pep Guardiola has denied that his squad has any interest in acquiring the sought-after center-back:

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He's not coming to Munich, (Guardiola said). We've got four or five central defenders. There is no truth to the speculation.

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That could obviously be posturing on Guardiola's part, but Chelsea doesn't seem interested in moving him regardless. Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has talked up the importance of both Luiz and midfielder Juan Mata, according to Hannah Duncan of the Metro, and he has made it clear that there are no intentions to transfer either of them.

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I am not going to contact them based on news that is not true and that they know that it is not true, because I told them they are very important for me, Mourinho said.

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Although it's difficult to quantify the importance of a defender, there is no doubt that Luiz was a big part of the Blues' success last season. Not only did he net a career-high seven goals, but he also played steady defense throughout the season and was rarely caught in bad positions.

WhoScored came up with an interesting stat that truly seems to summarize why Chelsea would be best off keeping Luiz in the fold:

It is very obvious that Chelsea is simply a better team when Luiz plays. There are obviously many other important players on the roster, but Luiz is the glue that holds things together in a lot of ways. Removing him from the lineup would leave a gaping hole at center-back, and it would be a very difficult one to fill.

The Blues are in a position where they have to continue moving forward and simply cannot afford to take a step back. The Red Devils are always going to be the team to beat, but Chelsea has to keep up with the likes of Manchester City and Arsenal as well. It has done that thus far, but allowing Luiz would put the Blues behind the eight ball in the arms race.

It seems as though the Chelsea brass fully realizes that based on how reluctant it has been to discuss any movement regarding Luiz. Putting a £60 million price tag on Luiz at least creates the illusion that the Blues are listening to offers, but there is no reason to make such a significantly negative move at this juncture.

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