Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz has been linked with Arsenal several times in the last six months or more, and he’s now fuelled that speculation after being seen out for dinner with the son of Gunners director Edu.
Luiz has been in superb form for Villa this season, so links with bigger clubs are not a surprise, though fans will be worried about this latest development.
Villa’s progress under Unai Emery might have persuaded some fans that a talent like Luiz could be persuaded to stay for perhaps one more season, but if he’s having informal contacts like this with those close to Arsenal, it could be that he’s gearing up towards pushing for a move away from Villa Park at the end of this current campaign.
Arsenal invested in Declan Rice last summer to bolster their midfield, but there could be room for Luiz as well, with the injury-prone Thomas Partey perhaps no longer looking like the most reliable long-term option.
It will be interesting to see if other clubs also join the race for the Brazilian, but all signs point towards AFC being the favourites for this potential deal.
One other factor in Villa’s favour could be that Arsenal seemingly have a few other names on their radar as well, so a big asking price might persuade them to look at alternatives such as Martin Zubimendi and Amadou Onana.
Luiz Arsenal transfer – what’s been reported recently?
Ben Jacobs recently spoke to us about Arsenal’s midfield targets, and had this to say on Luiz and the other names on their list: “Zubimendi is settled and that’s why nothing is advanced to date, but I wouldn’t rule out Arsenal trying again this summer. Zubimendi is 25, and that’s significant because if he does want to move to the Premier League this year is probably the right time to do so. Maybe a slightly younger player might wait another year.
“I still wouldn’t rule out Arsenal trying for Douglas Luiz, but it’s difficult with Aston Villa flying. If they qualify for Champions League football this season, I would expect Luiz to stay.
“Everton’s Amadou Onana is an interesting one as well. It is not true to my knowledge Arsenal advanced anything, or made an offer, in January despite suggestions. However, there is genuine admiration for the Everton midfielder.”