David Luiz close to agreeing new contract to remain at Arsenal for another year

David Luiz is close to agreeing a new contract to remain at Arsenal for another year.

Defender Luiz’s existing contract, worth around £120,000-per-week, was due to expire on June 30 and Premier League clubs had until midnight on Tuesday to finalise short-term extensions that will run until the new end of the season date July 26.

However Arsenal are poised to confirm a longer deal for Luiz and tie him down until 2021.

David Luiz is close to agreeing a new contract to remain at Arsenal for another year

Luiz joined Arsenal in a surprise £8m move from Chelsea last summer on a one-year deal which the option of a further 12 months. That is now set to be activated.

Luiz, 33, was sent off against Manchester City last week after a disastrous 25-minute cameo off the bench to earn a two-game ban.

Manager Mikel Arteta admitted last Friday that he was unsure whether Luiz had played his last game for the club with the clock ticking on his contract.

The Brazilian fronted up after the City loss, accepting the blame, confirming both he wanted to stay and that Arteta wanted to keep him but appeared to suggest the uncertainty around his future as his contract ticked down affected his performance.

The defender was sent off against Manchester City in Arsenal’s first game back last week 

Luiz received a second yellow card after giving away a penalty in the defeat at the Etihad

Luiz said: ‘The coach is amazing. I love being here and that’s why I continue to train hard and why I came here [to be interviewed] to show my face.

‘I want to stay, the coach knows, he wants me to stay so we are waiting for the decisions.

‘I should have taken a different decision in the last two months but I didn’t. All about my contract, if I stay here or not. I have 14 days to be here and that’s it. I should have tried to decide my future as early as possible, but I didn’t. I don’t want to use that as an alibi or excuse, it’s my fault – that’s it. I love to be here.’

The Brazilian accepted the blame after the game and confirmed that he wanted to stay

Arteta also confirmed that defender Pablo Mari’s loan move from Flamengo was also close to being made a permanent one.

He joined in January with Arsenal having an option to sign him for around £10m.

Short-term deals for loanees Dani Ceballos and Cedric Soares also expected to be finalised before tonight’s deadline.

Arteta added: ‘The club is trying to finalise everything in the next few hours and we have no choice, we have to do it and even more with all the injuries we’ve had. We are trying to resolve this. I’m confident that we can do it. I hope so.’