Paul Merson expressed his astonishment at the prospect of Arsenal signing Douglas Luiz for a mere £15 million, believing that such a signing could become one of the club’s greatest acquisitions. The Arsenal legend praised Luiz, hailing him as one of the Premier League’s most underrated players, and suggested that the pressure would be on Aston Villa to resist advances for the Brazilian midfielder.
Arsenal has been linked with Douglas Luiz for a while, with Edu Gaspar and Mikel Arteta being avid admirers of his talents. This renewed interest in Luiz comes after the Gunners failed to secure his services in the previous transfer window, as reported by The Guardian. Instead, they brought in Jorginho a few months later. However, the need for a midfielder like Douglas Luiz seems more pressing now, especially given Thomas Partey’s struggles with injuries and Kai Havertz’s inconsistent performances since his move from Chelsea to Arsenal.
Douglas Luiz’s recent form under Unai Emery has been impressive, with six goals in 15 appearances for Aston Villa across all competitions this season. He is versatile in midfield, making him an ideal fit for Arsenal. However, the Gunners would likely need to pay a significant sum to acquire his services, as Luiz signed a new contract with Villa just last year.