Frank Lampard Denies David Luiz Rift Rumours Following Arsenal Transfer

Chelsea manager Frank Lampard has denied reports there was a fallout between himself and David Luiz before the defender moved to Arsenal.

The Brazil centre-back made the surprise switch across the capital on Thursday, ending his second spell with the Stamford Bridge club.

There was speculation about a rift between Lampard and Luiz ahead of the move, but Lampard has said he and the player only held "honest conversations" about the future, per Nizaar Kinsella of Goal:

Reports also emerged ahead of the transfer about Luiz missing training for Chelsea, although the new Blues boss confirmed that was a decision he made when it became apparent the 32-year-old would be moving on:

Per BT Sport, although Arsenal and Chelsea are local rivals, there are a number of players who have donned the red and blue jerseys down the years:

Given Chelsea were banned from registering new players in the current window due to a breach of FIFA regulations, they were unable to draft in a replacement for Luiz.

It means the team is set to rely on Antonio Rudiger, Andreas Christensen and Kurt Zouma as senior options, with youngster Fikayo Tomori likely to provide cover.

Although Luiz is a defender who has long divided opinion,  he has been a regular starter at Arsenal in recent years. At his best, the former Paris Saint-Germain and Benfica star is commanding, aggressive and capable of distributing the ball with precision from deep positions.

However, often lapses in concentration can let Luiz down.

Matt Law of the Daily Telegraph said he doesn't see the move working out for the player:

James McNicholas of The Athletic said he wasn't shocked to see the transfer go ahead due to a number of off-field links between Luiz and figures at Arsenal:

Lampard will now look to other options for the first game of the Premier League season when his side make the trip to Manchester United.

There's plenty of optimism around the Blues at the moment, with Lampard keen to give young players an opportunity.The team have put in some promising displays in pre-season, with the likes of Mason Mount, Tammy Abraham and Ross Barkley especially impressive.

Lampard said he expects a lot from some of the younger players:

He also provided a fitness update ahead of the game, with N'Golo Kante said to be in contention:

If Chelsea do struggle at the back on Sunday, you sense there will be plenty who are quick to question Lampard's decision to let Luiz go so late in the window.

However, it seems clear the new manager only wants committed players in his squad at the start of his tenure. With Lampard's appointment pointing towards more of a long-term approach from Chelsea, it's difficult to disagree with the coach's assessment.