Arsenal handed £119m Douglas Luiz transfer boost following Aston Villa financial update

Arsenal may have been handed a further boost in their mission to sign long-standing transfer target Douglas Luiz this summer. The midfielder has been on Mikel Arteta's radar for a while now and despite Aston Villa initially showing no interest in listening to offers for the Brazilian, they could be forced to cash in at the end of the season.

Football Insider recently claimed that Villa 'are likely to be forced' to sell Luiz once the summer transfer window opens as they look to raise funds for their own spending. The club have reportedly slapped a mammoth £100 million price tag on the 25-year-old, which will be a very welcome amount, considering they signed him from Manchester City for £15 million in 2019.

Arsenal have been interested in Luiz for some time now and saw three bids rejected for him back in 2022. He has remained a top target for Arteta and co since then and the latest information on Villa's financial status could finally give the Gunners the opening they need to swoop in.

The West Midlands outfit have published their finances for the 2022/23 season and have reported a loss of £119.6 million up to 31st May 2023. Premier League profit and sustainability rules state that clubs can report a maximum of £105 million in losses over a three-year period.

Despite Villa's figure being over the threshold, the club has said: "It is important to note that these figures are in line with the strategic business plan, and we continue to operate within the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability rules.

"The owners of Aston Villa remain committed to the long-term and sustainable development of the Club, and we look forward to continued progress on the delivery of our strategic plan."

However, it is highly likely that Villa will need to offload some high profile players this summer in order to make back some cash. This is where Luiz could come into the picture.

The midfielder has been integral to his side's strong run in the Premier League this season, starting all but one match and contributing nine goals and five assists. Arsenal have heavy competition though, as City are keen to bring back their former player, and both Liverpool and Barcelona have also been sniffing around.

Former Gunner Gilberto Silva recently told Chris Wheatley that a move to the Emirates would be 'a great move' for both involved.