News has emerged that the real price of Arsenal signing David Luiz from London rivals Chelsea last summer is £24m – including £6m to ‘fixers’

The 33-year-old put pen to paper on a one-year deal with the Gunners – with an option for a further 12 months – for a fee believed to be in the region of £8m when he left Stamford Bridge to play at the Emirates.

However, Arsenal’s financial outlay in real terms has been estimated at a staggering £24m in widely reported stories on Sunday.

As part of the deal the north Londoners forked out £6m to the representatives and ‘fixers’ of David Luiz when he signed in the summer of 2019.

With Luiz’s wages of £10m - or a weekly salary of around £192,000 based on that eight-figure yearly sum - factored into the equation, the club splashed out £24m in total.

It is understood by a source inside the club the Gooner has spoken to, that cash-strapped Arsenal are in no mood to trigger the option of a second year, or even attempt to renegotiate the terms of Luiz’s salary.

The source added: “Ironically the reason Arsenal were so keen to sign Luiz’s cheques [the transfer fee and aforementioned monies to representatives to a total of £24m] was that the club were desperate to fill the void after [then captain Laurent Koscielny] ‘Kos’ refused to play after his contract ‘asks’ [demands] were deemed far too excessive.”

Rather, the club are ‘happy’ to allow ‘Luiz’ his existing deal to run down on June 30 and allow him to depart the Emirates, possibly to suitors Benfica.

The former Blue confirmed earlier this week he held talks with the Lisbon-based giants, saying to Portuguese media outlet Recorder: “I already spoke with [Benfica President Luis Felipe] Vieira about the return.

“My dream is to end my career at Benfica," he said, adding, "When, I don't know, but it will happen - it will, if President Vieira allows me and if the fans want me to come back. It will be one of the most beautiful moments of my career.”

While Luiz has shown glimpses of his undoubted technical ability for Arsenal, his presence has failed to solidify what was, admittedly, already a shaky backline, with the club in ninth place prior to the coronavirus pandemic taking hold.

Many will question whether an outlay of £24m was prudent business for an ageing defender not known for his defensive talents by a club already struggling with falling revenues.

All of which means the Gunners are reluctant to take up the option on Luiz remaining in north London for another season. Certainly without what will surely be another campaign without the financial injection of Champions League riches, as well as the current loss of vital matchday income - mitigated only somewhat by head coach Mikel Arteta successfully arbitrating a 12.5 per cent pay cut among the majority of his squad last month.