Aston Villa could be at risk of losing Douglas Luiz in the summer if Unai Emery’s side fail to grasp Champions League football, according to reports.
Last week was a tough one for Aston Villa, who have become accustomed to the good times this season thanks to Unai Emery.
Two losses and the loss of Boubacar Kamara to a season-ending ACL injury has left the Villans desperate for some positivity at Villa Park, although things could still get worse for the Midlands club.
The midfield pairing of Kamara and Douglas Luiz has been heavily praised throughout the 2023/24 campaign, but following the Frenchman’s injury, reports have suggested that the duo could have played their last game together.
What has been said about the future of Douglas Luiz at Aston Villa
Fresh reports have speculated that Arsenal will once again eye a move for Luiz in the summer, a deal that could happen after years of interest if Villa weren’t able to achieve one thing this season.
In a HITC Football exclusive, it has been speculated that if Emery’s side were to miss out on Champions League football, they could lose Luiz to the manager’s former club, who are on the prowl for a new midfielder ahead of the transfer window.
It’s reported that Arsenal have the 25-year-old on their radar as a potential long-term partner for Declan Rice, whom they spent £105m to acquire in the summer of 2023, telling of the distances the Gunners are willing to go to hire the right man.
As Villa know, the North Londoners’ interest in Luiz isn’t fresh, as Mikel Arteta saw three bids for the £75k-a-week maestro turned down in 2022 with the offering of £25m turned away by the Midlands club.
The talent of Luiz has been evident at Villa over time, particularly under the ruling of Emery.
Back in 2021, Dean Smith dubbed the Brazilian as an “integral” member of his squad, a standard of performance that hasn’t dropped over the years for the midfielder.
How Aston Villa can keep hold of Douglas Luiz
Reports from HITC suggest that one way to ensure that Villa can retain Luiz is through securing Champions League football, something that is currently achievable at Villa Park.
Currently sitting in 5th place, just one point outside of 4th, Emery’s side are in touching distance of realising their dreams among Europe’s elite on the condition that their form can continue.
The injury to Kamara could be detrimental to the Villans’ plans of securing a top-four finish, but only time will tell their fate with plenty of points still to be played for.
For now, it looks as though Luiz’s focus is solely on Aston Villa, as he said himself back in December during an interview with Sky Sports, in which he addressed interest from Arsenal and other top clubs.
“I am very happy to hear the stories 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.”
