Arsenal are set to sign Douglas Luiz ahead of the January opener, Aston Villa’s selling positions have been revealed and any move would help Liverpool fill out their midfield.
Arsenal’s interest in Brazil international Luis is not new. The Gunners previously had three separate bids rejected in the 2022 summer transfer window – the biggest of which was worth £25m.
But Mikel Arteta is not entirely happy with his options in central midfield, with reports suggesting Jorginho and Thomas Partey could leave in January. Both players are in their 30s and have negative tendencies, and Juventus are keeping an eye on these two players.
Arsenal will only approve a sale if they can agree a new contract. Villa star Luis is on Arsenal’s radar, according to Fabrizio Romano.”As we reported recently, Arsenal have been monitoring Pedro Neto for some time, I would say Arsenal are always monitoring their favorite players and Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz is another one of them,” Romano said last week. “It was always very much appreciated.
“Of course, we know that Arsenal rejected a bid for Luiz in September 2022 and he has since signed a new deal at Villa Park until 2026. “He’s an important player for Villa at the moment so a deal may not be easy, but a lot of clubs value him very much.
“Luis Unai Emery has gone from strength to strength since taking over and is one of the first names on the Villa Park team sheet.
The Brazilian has scored five goals in nine games this season, helping Aston Villa climb to fifth place. It’s still early days but Villa are unlikely to follow Newcastle into Champions League qualification.
According to 90 Minutes, Arsenal are planning to sign the Villa midfielder, but keeping hold of Luiz will be key to those ambitions. Arsenal want a transfer in January. Results Liverpool, AndreArsenal are planning to add a midfielder in January and Luiz has two notable admirers in Mikel Arteta and Edu, the media report.
As any good club should, the Gunners have alternatives if another move for Lewis fails. Among their backup plans are the Fluminense midfielder and Liverpool target Andre.
The 22-year-old is expected to move in January and both Liverpool and Arsenal are interested. Liverpool made a bid for Andre in the off-season, but Fluminense refused to sell at the height of the Copa Libertadores season. Their firm stance proved wise as Fluminense subsequently advanced to the final where they will face Boca Juniors on November 4.
But with this tournament in the rearview mirror, a January trial looks more likely to be successful. If Arsenal put their eggs in the Douglas Luiz basket, Liverpool will have a clear and unstoppable chance to sign Andre.
Will Aston Villa dominate Arsenal again? But Arsenal’s chances of signing Luiz every 90 minutes are no better than in 2022. The report concluded that Aston Villa “do not even intend to receive an offer in January”. Their position was further strengthened by a statement that “Luis himself is involved with the club and wants to help them qualify for the Champions League”.
That won’t stop Arsenal from trying their luck, but another attempt to sign Luiz is likely to fail. So a bidding war between Arsenal and Liverpool could be on the cards for Andre.
