Chelsea can relax as Barcelona call off centre back chase

Although Chelsea rebuffed Barcelona after the Spanish champions submitted a bid for David Luiz, there's still been some thought that the centre back might end up in La Liga by the time the transfer window closes. It was, after all, apparently one of him and Liverpool's Daniel Agger that was the Catalans' prime transfer target.

That David Luiz didn't managed to play against Hull City thanks to an injury has only added to the rampant speculation around his future, but now Barcelona are saying that they're done with their summer shopping:

A new centre-back? I'm happy with the team I have. There's always the January window if we need anything. Last year's problems in the defense were the result of injuries. We have enough options if everybody's fit.

We have Puyi in defense, Gerard Pique, Javier Mascherano, Marc Bartra and even Adriano. If someone gets injured, the January transfer window is only months away.

-Gerardo Martino. Source: Barca Blaugranes.

That's good news for Chelsea, who can't really afford to sell a centre back no matter what you think of David Luiz's abilities. Tomas Kalas and Kenenth Omeruo are both injured and so there's very little cover on defence, and replacing him would be basically impossible at this point in the summer. As far as Barcelona go, they'd be a better team with David Luiz in the side, but considering what they're doing to Levante as I'm writing this, it's not even clear that they need to be using any centre backs at all.

Anyway. David Luiz. Ours.