David Luiz did not train with the Chelsea first-team on Wednesday after sensationally trying to force a transfer deadline move to Arsenal.

The two clubs will now attempt to negotiate a deal that suits all parties, with Chelsea willing to cash in on a player who could have left the club on a free transfer at the end of last season.

Despite only signing a new two-year contract with the Blues in May, which broke the club’s policy of handing players aged 30 or over one year deals, Luiz has made it clear he wants to go following a series of fallings-out over the past week.

And the situation came to a head just over 24 hours before the transfer window shuts and on the same day Wilfried Zaha handed in a transfer request to try to force a move away from Crystal Palace, and Romelu Lukaku closed in on a switch to Inter Milan after training away from Manchester United.

Head coach Frank Lampard decided Luiz should train away from the rest of his Chelsea players at Cobham, following a week in which the Brazilian is believed to have become a disruptive influence.

Arsenal, whose coach Unai Emery worked with Luiz at Paris Saint Germain, are interested in signing 32-year-old Luiz before the transfer window closes at 5pm on Thursday.

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The Gunners have been looking for a cut-price central defender all summer and are now focusing their efforts on Luiz, with Celtic left-back Kieran Tierney also set to move to the Emirates.

Luiz has a good relationship with Emery and his agent, Kia Joorabchian, was influential in Arsenal’s appointment of director of football Edu. Another of Joorabchian’s clients, Philippe Coutinho, was this week linked with the Gunners.

Joorabchian also looks after Willian and has worked successfully with Chelsea in the past on numerous deals, including another Brazilian, Oscar.

Chelsea are thought to be open to letting Luiz go with Lampard unlikely to consider him for selection. Given the fact that he could have left for nothing, a fee between £5million and £10m will be considered good business.

Luiz had spoken positively about the new era under Lampard at Chelsea, but it is understood there have been a number of disagreements in the background surrounding the central defender since the pre-season victory over Red Bull Salzburg.

Kurt Zouma partnered Andreas Christensen for Chelsea’s final pre-season friendly against Borussia Monchengladbach and it seems Lampard will now put his faith in the pair for the first Premier League game of the season against Manchester United on Sunday.

Luiz’s behaviour has come as a shock to Chelsea, given the fact he signed a new contract and has spoken positively about the season ahead.

Luiz’s behaviour has come as a shock to Chelsea credit: GETTY IMAGES

Only last week after the defeat to Salzburg, in which he was poor, Luiz said: “I think Chelsea is so well in this moment because they have many, many, many people with the DNA of the club, not just the staff. Everyone in the staff knows each other well and has worked for this club for a long time.

“Even with the players. We have an amazing English generation with Hudson-Odoi, Ruben, Tammy. It’s a great moment for the team, a great moment for the club. It’s up to us to work hard and everybody is improving the same way with the idea of the club. Everybody knows the club, everybody knows how to represent the club inside and outside the pitch. It’s a great opportunity for the club to create this family and to work together.”

The situation regarding Luiz goes some way to explaining why 21-year-old defender Fikayo Tomori has not yet left Chelsea on loan.

Chelsea had been planning to send Tomori out for the season and Everton had been touted as the most likely destination. But with Luiz now trying to force a move and the Blues unable to sign a replacement, Tomori may be required to stay at Stamford Bridge.

Luiz returned for his second spell at Chelsea at the end of the 2016 summer transfer window in a £34m switch from Paris Saint-Germain.

He won the Premier League title in his first season back under Antonio Conte, but was then frozen out for the Italian’s second campaign following a row after the Champions League defeat at Roma.

Luiz was restored to the starting line-up by Maurizio Sarri and had been on course to take over vice-captain responsibilities this season under Lampard.

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But his reaction to possibly not starting the season, behind Zouma and Christensen, could have spelled the end of his Chelsea career, having won the Champions League, FA Cup and Europa League during his first three-year spell.

Lampard’s handling of the situation also makes it clear that he will not accept any challenges to his authority, despite his relative lack of managerial experience.

Arsenal have been in desperate need for a new central defender all summer and had been linked with Juventus star Daniele Rugani.

But they have now turned their attention to Luiz and will hope to agree a deal in time to sign him before Thursday’s 5pm cut-off. Tierney is due to join in a £25m move after Arsenal agreed to restructure their payment schedule.

Other than negotiating with Arsenal, Chelsea are also in discussions with Burnley over a season-long loan move for out-of-favour midfielder Danny Drinkwater.