David Luiz has admitted that he faced an uncertain future at Chelsea had Antonio Conte not been replaced as manager by Maurizio Sarri.
Luiz was one of several first-team players at Chelsea that had fallen out with Conte during his time at Stamford Bridge before he was sacked in the summer.
In an interview with Sky Sports, Luiz said that he is relishing a fresh start under new boss Sarri.
“I think I always have to feel fresh start because I am getting old! It is amazing to play football, of course last season was not the best for me inside the pitch, but also I learned a lot outside the pitch as a person, as a man,” he said. “It is always great to be on the pitch.
“I learned a lot, sometimes you have to be patient, sometimes you have to take care of your body, sometimes you have to learn from outside to be good in the future. So for me it was great.
“I got time to take care of my body; many times I was on the pitch in pain, and I never refused to play one game. It was good to rest and be fresh.”
Luiz confirmed reports that he and Conte did not see eye to eye, and that if Conte had not departed this summer that he might have instead.
“If the manager [Conte] had stayed the same, of course, everybody knows maybe I had to move clubs,” he said. “Now I am here and so happy.”