David Luiz was instrumental in helping Arsenal youngster Catalin Cirjan get back fit following a second serious knee injury.
Luiz left the Gunners in June 2021 after Mikel Arteta decided not to renew his contract. The 35-year-old centre-back has returned to his native Brazil to play for Flamengo, but it seems he is still having an influence at Arsenal’s London Colney training ground.
Cirjan is a highly-rated midfielder who is coming through the ranks at the Gunners’ academy, but his budding career has been blighted with injury problems. The 19-year-old joined the youth set-up as a scholar from Romanian side Viitorul Domnesti in July 2019 before suffering his second serious knee injury in April 2021.
While playing for Arsenal’s under-18s against Southampton, he badly damaged his left knee. It was the second time he had suffered a cruciate problem, having previously injured his right knee while on trial as a 14-year-old.
After seeing a specialist, Andy Williams, it took Cirjan 15 months, or 480 days, to return to the field in a match against Boreham Wood for the under-21s during pre-season. The youngster credits Luiz for keeping his morale up while he was on the sidelines and undergoing rehabilitation.
“He told me to go to the first-team changing room,” Cirjan told The Athletic of the former Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain defender. “I talked with him for an hour. He told me that he went through this too and I just had to be strong. What he told me - and I feel it as well - is that it was a test from God. This (football) is what I love and I need to show that I’m strong enough, that I never give up and I can come back better and stronger.
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“It had a great impact and gave me power to go through it. I remember, I wasn’t having the surgery. I waited a week and a half for my surgery but after that talk, I started doing my rehab. I started doing everything to come back to the pitch. It was great to talk to him and I want to thank him.”
Cirjan is well thought of by Arteta and his coach Carlos Cuesta and trained with the first team before the trip to Manchester United last week. He signed a new contract in May that runs until 2024, with an option of another year, so he won’t be going anywhere now he is back fit and healthy.
Interestingly, he remains in contact with Luiz and Alexandre Lacazette – another player who has since left Arsenal behind. “He (Luiz) is following me on Instagram and was replying to my stories about me working and coming on back to the pitch,” he added. “Lacazette messaged me a few days ago as well. He saw me working in the gym and he was like, ‘I’m so happy for you. Just keep going’.”
While he awaits his dream debut for Arsenal, the Romania youth international should get plenty of game time for the under-21s. Mehmet Ali’s side have been depleted in midfield after Arsenal allowed Charlie Patino (Blackpool), Salah Oulad M’Hand (Hull City) and Miguel Azeez (Ibiza) to leave on loan for the campaign.
