- EXCLUSIVE from Graeme Bailey
Arsenal have identified Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi and Douglas Luiz as their leading midfield targets with Premier League rivals Aston Villa hoping to tie the latter down to a new deal before next season begins.
HITC Football understands that, with Arsenal, Bayern Munich and former employers Manchester City all keeping tabs on one of the top-flight’s most-improved players, Aston Villa fear that missing out on Champions League action is not the only potential downside to finishing adrift of the top four.
There are concerns at Villa Park that missing out on a place in Europe’s elite club competition will cause serious damage to their hopes of retaining Douglas Luiz’s services for 2024/25. Long-time admirers Arsenal have installed the Brazil international as their leading midfield target for the upcoming summer window, alongside Martin Zubimendi of Real Sociedad.
Arsenal back in for Aston Villa’s Douglas Luiz
There is interest from Man City, who bought Luiz from Vasco da Gama in 2017 and sold him for £15 million two years later. Bayern Munich are also keen, having focused heavily on the English market in recent times. The Bundesliga champions brought in Harry Kane and Eric Dier from Tottenham Hotspur, and have also targeted the likes of Kieran Trippier, Scott McTominay and Joao Palhinha.
Luiz’s current contract expires in the summer of 2026. Aston Villa are hoping to agree fresh terms, however, with the midfielder’s goal in the 2-1 defeat at home to Manchester United making this the most prolific season of his senior career.
Luiz now has eight goals in all competitions.
“I am very happy to hear the stories,” Luiz told Sky Sports recently when asked about speculation linking him with some of Europe’s A-list clubs.
“But I am here at Aston Villa. My focus is totally here. I don’t spend a lot of time looking at the stories. I see them, but I don’t focus on that and I’m not looking at it every day.
“My head is here at Aston Villa.”
Gunners back in for long-term target
Arsenal, interestingly, made a trio of bids for Luiz back in 2022, Villa turning down an eventual offer of £25 million (Sky Sports). 18 months on, Luiz has improved to such an extent under ex-Gunners boss Unai Emery that Arsenal icon Paul Merson is now mentioning him in the same breath as the Emirates’ own Declan Rice.
“I’ve been on about the Aston Villa man for god knows how long,” Merson told Sportskeeda.
“When Arsenal wanted to sign him a year ago, but people didn’t really rate him too highly. But now, everyone can see what he’s all about. He’s been absolutely ripping it up for Aston Villa this season.
“He can sit as a holding midfielder and mop things up for his team but he also gets in the box and scores goals – as we’ve seen so often this season.
“People wouldn’t put him in the same breath as Declan Rice or Rodri. But, based on their performances this season, I’d certainly put Luiz up there with the pair.”
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