Report: ‘Unbelievable’ £25.5m star could follow Grealish, Aston Villa have set their price

Follow us on Google Discover

Douglas Luiz could follow Jack Grealish in leaving Aston Villa this summer with Dean Smith’s side setting Roma their asking price for the Brazil midfielder, per Calciomercato.

Grealish is on the cusp of a £100m move to Manchester City, with The Guardian reporting talks are entering the final stages. Pep Guardiola will soon have his new playmaker at the Etihad Stadium barring any unforeseen hitches after agreeing a fee.

Manchester City and Aston Villa chiefs, plus Grealish’s agent, are now combing through the final details of a deal. The fee is a record between two English clubs and will rank among the most expensive deals of all-time. But the Birmingham departure lounge is not empty.

Aston Villa have told Roma to pay around €30m (£25.5m) for Luiz as Jose Mourinho eyes alternatives to Granit Xhaka. Mikel Arteta has confirmed the Swiss ace is no longer leaving Arsenal, and Fabrizio Romano notes he is now close to agreeing to a new contract instead.

Luiz is among Mourinho’s favourite options to now bolster the Giallorossi’s engine room, but Villa’s valuation risks pricing Roma out. CEO Tiago Pinto must now decide if it is worth the Serie A side targeting the £33,000-per-week international this summer.

Aston Villa feared losing Luiz earlier in the year, as 90min note Manchester City considered activating their £25m buy-back clause. Atletico Madrid and a host of rival clubs also wanted the eight-cap anchor that Guardiola is a big fan of. Now, Roma could be the side Luiz joins.

Aston Villa to sell ‘unbelievable’ player if Luiz joins Roma

Manchester City could have denied Aston Villa the chance to make a large profit on their £15m signing by selling Luiz to Roma by activating their buyback clause. But Birmingham Live note the clause, they claim to be worth £27.5m, actually expired on June 5 this year.

Now, Aston Villa are free to set their price however highly they like for Luiz amid interest from Roma. Yet they are still touting the Olympic finalist in the same region as the clause.

Doing so could see Luiz follow Grealish in leaving Villa Park, with Mourinho targeting new midfielders. While selling a key piece of Smith’s side, after he started 32 of his 33 Premier League games last season. Smith also lauded Luiz as an ‘unbelievable’ player last year, via Birmingham Live.