(Football news) Villa decided not to sell at the time, but the Gunners have long been admirers of the Brazil international and are thought to have made a move to buy him during the summer of 2022.
The 26-year-old midfielder for Villa has established himself as a key member of the squad under Unai Emery. He has scored 10 goals and provided 10 assists in all competitions this year, making him one of the team’s best players.
Not only did Luiz provide goals to the Premier League last season, but he also averaged 1.7 tackles won and 4.2 duels won per game. His passing accuracy was 89%.
The Brazilian arrived at Villa Park from Manchester City at the start of the 2019-20 season for a fee of around £15m plus add-ons.
Aston Villa willing to part ways with Douglas Luiz amid concerns over PL spending rules
The Villans are considering parting ways with Luiz for around £50m, as they need to comply with the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability rules.
The report adds that with qualification secured for next season’s Champions League, Villa’s finances have received a significant boost, but the club will still need to balance new signings with player sales in order to avoid sanction.
Premier League clubs facing pressure to comply with the league’s Profit and Sustainability regulations have until the June 30 deadline to get their finances in order.
Considering Luiz cost the Lions just £15m to bring him to Villa Park, if they were to receive the reported asking price for the Brazilian, it would represent a significant profit for the club.
However, it is understood that Arsenal are not the only European giants keeping an eye on the highly-rated midfielder.
Luiz attracting interest from several European giants
Juventus are believed to have signalled their interest in taking Luiz to the Serie A and are willing to include USA international Weston McKennie, along with around £25m to complete a deal.
AC Milan are also keeping tabs on the Brazilian’s midfielder but are yet to make a formal offer.
Villa, meanwhile, are reportedly in advanced talks to sign Ross Barkley from Luton Town on a permanent transfer and have also made enquiries with Chelsea about a potential deal for Conor Gallagher.
Former Arsenal midfielder Matteo Guendouzi has also been linked with a move to Villa Park, which would see him reunite with Emery, who was his manager at the Emirates before Arteta’s arrival.
Arsenal, on the other hand, are preparing for the departure of several existing players this summer, including the likes of Emile Smith Rowe, Eddie Nketiah and Oleksandr Zinchenko.
The Gunners have prioritised bringing in a new centre-forward in the offseason to bolster their squad after their current attacking duo of Gabriel Jesus and Nketiah managed just nine goals between them last season.
Also read: Manchester United make a bid of £17m on a striker
