'One of the best in the league' - Arsenal to reignite interest in £100m Aston Villa star

He may have been detrimental in the Gunners’ 2-0 defeat to Unai Emery’s side on Sunday but Arsenal are reportedly set to reignite their interest in Aston Villa’s Douglas Luiz. The Gunners have previously had several bids for the Brazilian 25-year-old rejected but Football Insider reports that this is not set to deter them from once again plotting to prize the midfielder away from Villa Park.

Mikel Arteta is set to part ways with the Egyptian 31-year-old Mohammed Elneny in the coming months which will likely make room in the squad for another large signing to play alongside the £100 million-signing of Declan Rice. Fellow midfielders Jorginho and Thomas Partey also have uncertain futures at the Emirates with their contracts set to expire in 2024 and 2025 respectively, thus making a potential move to Luiz even more plausible.

Arsenal are far from the only interested party, however, with Barcelona also said to be keen on the Brazilian international. If Arteta is to secure the signature of the midfielder, however, he will likely be forced to cough up a sum similar to that which was required for England star Rice - a sum that seems unlikely Barcelona could procure given their current financial predicament. In a report from the Daily Mail it was suggested that “bids peaked at about £25 million (in January 2023) but Villa now believe Luiz is worth more than four times that sum.”

Luiz has made 46 appearances across all competitions this season, contributing ten goals and ten assists. Starting his career with Vasco da Gama in Rio de Janiero before completing a move to Manchester City in 2017. He remained with the Citizens for two seasons but was sent on loan to Girona after the UK Home Office denied him a work permit. After 38 La Liga appearances for the Catalan side, Luiz headed to Villa Park in 2019. Despite rumoured transfer interest from Arsenal, Luiz agreed a new ‘long-term’ contract with Emery’s club in 2022 which should see him remain at Villa Park until 2026.

The Brazilian has been instrumental in helping Aston Villa fight for a Champions League spot this season and his efforts have not gone unnoticed with former striker and BBC 5 Live pundit Clinton Morrison describing the midfield star as one of the ‘best in the league’.

Following the Villans narrow loss to Manchester United two months ago, the pundit said of Luiz and teammate Boubacar Kamara’s performance: “It’s a positive change, Kamara has done well, he’s a good player. Him and Douglas Luiz have been fantastic this season. Douglas Luiz is one of the best players in the league, people will call me insane but he delivers so often when Aston Villa need him.”