Arsenal defender David Luiz is happy to be closer than ever to realising his dream of being coached by Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola.
The Brazilian defender has played for a number of top clubs across his career but has never been bought by Guardiola. City expect to be in the market for at least one centre-back in the next transfer window having failed to replace Vincent Kompany last summer, but are unlikely to raid the Emirates for the 32-year-old.
Luiz, however, is counting his ambition as partly fulfilled because he is working with the man who was part of Guardiola's backroom staff for more than three seasons. Mikel Arteta left Arsenal in 2016 to take up a coaching role at the Etihad and stepped up to be the No.2 at City in 2018 following the departure of Domenec Torrent before replacing Unai Emery as Arsenal manager last December.
Luiz accepts that the chances of working with Guardiola may have gone but is grateful to have the opportunity to work with somebody who has shared in his success and ideas.
“I am grateful because I made another dream come true. Not in a concrete way, but in a different way. I always had the dream of working with [Pep] Guardiola," Luiz told ESPN Brasil.
"I couldn't work with him, but I'm having the opportunity to work with a person who grew up and learned and was victorious with him, who has the same ideas. So, in a way, I'm making a dream come true."
