Aston Villa duo Ollie Watkins and Douglas Luiz
Arsenal are reportedly ‘hell-bent’ on signing highly-rated Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz, who has been linked with a move to the Emirates for some time.
Mikel Arteta is expected to be given transfer funds to spend in January and it’s thought that the manager’s priority is to bring in a new midfielder.
Arsenal’s reported ‘determination’ to sign Luiz from Aston Villa comes at a time when midfielder Thomas Partey is being heavily linked with a move away from North London.
As previously reported by TEAMtalk, Juventus are thought to be interested in signing the Ghana international this winter.
Other outlets have since claimed that he has already held talks with the Italian club’s representatives. Saudi clubs are also keeping close tabs on Partey’s situation.
Selling Partey would give Arteta some more money to play with in January, but then he would definitely need to bring in a new midfielder to replace him.
As mentioned, it’s well-known that Arsenal are big admirers of Luiz, so it certainly wouldn’t be a surprise to see them launch an offer for him this winter.
Arsenal determined to sign Aston Villa star
According to Football Insider, Arsenal are ‘hell-bent’ on luring Luiz to the Emirates.
The report claims that the Gunners are set to back Arteta with a new £50m+ signing in the January window and the Aston Villa star is top of the manager’s shortlist.
Luiz has played a key role in Aston Villa’s recent success and understandably, Unai Emery is extremely reluctant to sell him.
The Brazil international was signed by Dean Smith back in 2019, but has shown his best form under Emery.
This season, Luiz has scored an impressive five goals in 12 Premier League appearances so far. His performances are a key reason why the Midlands club currently sit in fifth place in the table.
A versatile player, he has the ability to play as a defensive midfielder or in a number eight role – something that has caught the attention of Arsenal and other suitors.
Luiz is under contract with Aston Villa until June 2026 after penning a new deal last year.
Aston Villa are therefore under no immediate pressure to sell him, so would likely only consider a huge offer for him in January.
Previous reports suggest that the Villains value Luiz at approximately £60m, so it will be interesting to see if Arsenal are willing to spend that much on their ‘top target.’
