02 March 2024 , 01:00
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Aston Villa are bracing themselves for a new Arsenal bid for Douglas Luiz, despite having previously knocked back three approaches from the London side, it has been claimed.
Luiz, 25, joined Villa from Manchester City just weeks after they won promotion to the Premier League in 2019. He has made more than 150 Premier League appearances for the Midlands club, with his form at Villa Park earning him senior international recognition with Brazil.
Arsenal tried and failed to seal a deal for the central midfielder at the end of the summer 2022 transfer window, with reports suggesting they saw as many as three bids rejected. Not long after that, he signed a bumper long-term deal with Villa and has remained a key player even after Steven Gerrard - their manager at the time - made way for Unai Emery.
Mikel Arteta's side appeared to have turned their attentions elsewhere as far as midfielders were concerned, signing Jorginho in January 2023 and landing Declan Rice in a club record deal a few months later. Now, though, they are said to be back in for the South American.
According to The Mail, Luiz is one of a number of Villa players attracting interest going into the summer transfer window. Emery's team may be forced to sell in order to fund new signings, with a Champions League spot still in their sights.
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The same report notes that Jacob Ramsey has been on the radar of Newcastle United while Boubacar Kamara caught the eye before sustaining his season-ending injury. The French international is now not expected back in action until the autumn, potentially lessening the chances of a summer bid.
Villa brought in around £40m through the sale of players across the last two transfer windows, but also spent more than that on winger Moussa Diaby alone. They also landed Pau Torres for upwards of £30m last summer and were one of only a handful of Premier League sides to spend money in the winter window with Morgan Rogers their headline signing.
Should Arsenal go back in for Douglas Luiz? Have your say in the comments section
The Aston Villa midfielder was once the subject of three failed bids from Arsenal (Getty Images)Arsenal boss Arteta indicated his side simply ran out of time during their 2022 pursuit, with The Athletic indicating a trio of bids were knocked back. "Time was a big limitation with what happened in the last 72 hours in our midfield," he told reporters after the failed approach.
The Gunners might not be the only ones in the mix for the midfield star this time around. According to reports in Spain, Barcelona sporting director Deco is also a fan of Luiz and could push for a move if the price is right.
For now, though, Douglas Luiz's task will be helping Villa secure a top four finish - though fifth could end up being enough for a Champions League spot - while making progress in the Europa Conference League. Villa travel to Luton Town in the league on Saturday evening, with the first leg of their European round of 16 tie with Ajax following on Thursday.
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