Arsenal face Barcelona competition for Douglas Luiz

Arsenal are keen on having 25-year-old Aston Villa mainstay Douglas Luiz in their ranks amid interest from Barcelona.

According to a report by Football Insider, Arsenal are looking at ways to reinforce their midfield in the upcoming summer transfer window, and they have their eyes set on Aston Villa’s Douglas Luiz. The 25-year-old Brazilian international has been on their radar for years now, and they are expected to once again make a move for him.

Luiz has been a part of Aston Villa since the summer of 2019. While he has great progress over the years, the Brazil international seems to have taken his game to another level over the past 18 months. The arrival of Unai Emery at the club has had a huge impact on him.

He has been doing wonders for the former Arsenal manager, and his performances have not gone unnoticed. In the ongoing season, he has already featured in 46 matches and has contributed towards 20 goals (10 goals and 10 assists).

Arsenal keen on Douglas Luiz

While there are still two years left on Luiz’s deal at Aston Villa, clubs are ready to try and prise him away. Arsenal are one of the clubs keen on his services. The Gunners have been monitoring him for a long while now. They have tried to sign him in the past but have not succeeded.

However, they retain their interest in the 25-year-old and could push for him in the summer as Mikel Arteta looks for further reinforcement to help compete with the best in Europe.

Despite spending a fortune on Declan Rice last summer, Arsenal could once again go big this summer to bolster their midfielder. Mohammed Elneny is expected to part ways with the club in the summer. On top of that, the futures of Jorginho and Thomas Partey are uncertain, with their contracts expiring in 2024 and 2025, respectively.

Arsenal to compete with Barcelona for Luiz

With multiple midfielders all set to leave, Arsenal are looking at Luiz as a potential replacement. His arrival will add a lot of quality to their ranks. But, it won’t be easy to sign him with Barcelona also in the race. The Catalan giants are always on the lookout for players who can add more quality to their ranks and they feel the Brazilian could be of great help.

While they do not have the financial strength that Arsenal have at this stage, the Spanish giants are one of the biggest clubs in world football, and they do have pull which can help their cause. Meanwhile, Villa don’t really have any intentions of letting him leave and are closing in on a new deal to keep hold of their star.