According to respected journalist Fabrizio Romano, Arsenal really want to sign Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz in the January transfer window.
The London giants are currently without Thomas Partey until January following his thigh surgery and there is no guarantee that he will be fit to return to action. The Ghanaian could also be away on African Cup of Nations duty between January and February if he were to return to full fitness after his operation.
As a result, Arsenal are looking to reinforce their midfield department this winter and speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano has confirmed that the club ‘really really want’ and ‘appreciate’ Luiz. They have been following him for more than 2 years and he is one of the top names on the wishlist of the Gunners.
However, Romano adds that Villa could be a problem. Unai Emery’s men have no intention to let him go in January and it would take a ‘really important proposal’ to tempt the Midlands outfit into selling Luiz in the upcoming transfer window.
He said: “I can confirm that Arsenal really, really want and appreciate Douglas Luiz. It’s a player they have on the list for more than two years, they consider Douglas Luiz the perfect midfielder for their idea, for the intensity, for the quality he can bring, so many different factors make him top of the list for Arsenal.”
“The problem remains Aston Villa. Aston Villa have no intention to let him go in January, so it’s going to be really difficult. It would take a really important proposal to tempt Aston Villa, so not an easy one at all, but for sure Douglas Luiz is on Arsenal’s list as a midfielder for the present and the future.”
Premier League proven
Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta prioritised Premier League proven players last summer. Out of the four signings, David Raya, Kai Havertz and Declan Rice are well established in the English top-flight. The same is the case with Luiz whom Arteta knows from his time as an assistant manager at Manchester City.
Luiz was a late target for the London giants in the summer of 2022 but Villa declined multiple offers before the summer transfer deadline. The £48 million star went on to sign a new long-term contract but there remains speculation that Arsenal are interested in bringing him to north London in the near future.
The 25-year-old perfectly fits into Arteta’s plans with his work rate, defensive involvements and ability to create chances, but the big question mark is whether they can persuade Villa into a winter deal. With Villa also competing for a top 4 spot and it seems unlikely that they can be convinced to sell unless there is a huge bid on the table.
