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          Arsenal handing David Luiz new contract leads to 'Banter FC' trending on Twitter

          • Chris Wright, Toe Poke writerJun 24, 2020, 11:00 AM

          Arsenal informed their fans on Wednesday with news of not one, not two, but four players agreeing to extend their stay at the club.

          The Gunners announced that a quartet of new contracts had been arranged and squared away for David Luiz, Cedric Soares, Pablo Mari and Dani Ceballos.

          Once again, Luiz seized centre-stage as fans struggled to fathom how the centre-back had managed to earn himself a contract extension and a pay rise in the wake of his utterly catastrophic performance against Manchester City last week.

          The Brazilian was subbed on, made crucial errors, conceded a penalty and got sent off, all within the space of just 25 maddening minutes in the middle of an embarrassing 3-0 defeat.

          Still, as well-placed reports of Arsenal's wave of imminent re-ups began circulating on Tuesday, many onlookers were left perplexed at the logic.

          Indeed, some assumed it was all a misunderstanding and that some questionable grammar was to blame for the confusion.

          Alas, the speculation proved to be well-placed, with Arsenal formally announcing new contracts for Luiz, Cedric, Mari and Ceballos on Wednesday morning.

          It wasn't long before the official tweet was being bombarded with reaction ranging from mere bemusement to outright rage.

          Some were simply unable to look on the bright side.

          Indeed, the ensuing fallout that raged among stunned Gooners was likened to an Infinity War.

          Perhaps the most damning reaction came not from one social media user, but from so many of them in the UK that it prompted Twitter's algorithm to deliver the coup de grace.

          There was also general bewilderment as to why the Gunners had been so keen to throw four more years at Cedric, given that the Portugal right-back hasn't played once since arriving at the Emirates (initially on loan) in January.

          The news that 29-year-old Soares had been signed also ushered in a timely reprisal of one of Arsenal Twitter's classic intellectual debates.

          For the most part the promising Spain duo of Ceballos, on loan from Real Madrid, and Mari escaped the mass tongue-lashing, although they will forever be associated with a slew of deals used to question the Arsenal board's decision-making faculties.

          Just a total meltdown sparked by four current squad players having their terms updated to cover their immediate futures.

          Oh Arsenal, never change.