Arsenal remain unbeaten in the Premier League so far in the 2023/24 campaign, as Mikel Arteta hopes to improve on his squad’s successes from last season.
The Gunners missed out on their first league title since 2004 by five points, after leading the table for the majority of the term, only to be beaten by treble winners Manchester City on the home straight.
Arteta’s squad struggled with issues of depth towards the end of last season, as injuries to key players left the favoured XI short on quality which subsequently tarnished the Gunners’ title charge.
It was integral for Arteta and Edu to fill in the gaps this summer and bolster the squad in the transfer window, which was achieved to some degree as four new faces arrived in north London, and over £200m was spent.
While the new signings have settled well to the new surroundings, there remains a feeling that the squad remains in short areas, particularly in defensive roles as £38m summer arrival Jurrien Timber was ruled out with an anterior cruciate ligament injury on the opening day of the season.
Away from the defence but staying with defensive duties, Arsenal bid farewell to Granit Xhaka in the transfer window, leaving a slight gap in deep midfield despite the £105m acquisition of Declan Rice.
Rice has made a formidable start to life with the Gunners – having been dubbed "outstanding" by Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher – yet as fellow midfielder Thomas Partey battles injury woes, the role that Xhaka once excelled in remains a void in the middle of the park.
There could be some encouraging movements for Arteta in the upcoming January transfer window, however, with the latest reports suggesting that one of Arsenal’s previous targets is once more being eyed at the Emirates.
Could Arsenal sign Douglas Luiz?
According to Fabrizio Romano, as relayed by Caught Offside, Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz is a player that remains an admired player in north London with a move being monitored.
The renowned journalist named Wolverhampton Wanderers star Pedro Neto as a potential target, as well as name-dropping Luiz as being a player that has “always been appreciated” at the Emirates.
It’s common knowledge of just how highly Arsenal regard the Brazilian, as they failed to sign him last summer after having three bids rejected by the Villans, with the offers said at the time to be around £25m, via the Guardian.
The 2022 window wasn’t the last time that Luiz was mentioned with reference to Arteta’s side, with The Sun claiming this summer that the Gunners were ready to challenge rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the bid to secure his signature.
Nothing prevailed from the speculation, as the 25-year-old remains at Villa Park, with his consistent performance seeing him become one of Emery’s most treasured figures in his current squad.
How much is Douglas Luiz worth?
Signed by Villa from Man City in 2019, the £15m fee that the Midlands club paid to obtain the midfielder looks to be more and more of a bargain each time he steps onto the pitch.
Currently, the Brazilian has a transfer value of around €50m (£43.4m), as per CIES Football Observatory, a figure that if the Gunners were hoping to purchase the 25-year-old, would likely rise due his importance and current contract at Villa Park.
After penning a new deal last October, Luiz extended his stay at Villa Park to 2026, boosting his earnings from £30k-per-week to £75k-per-week to reinforce his importance to the club.
With three years remaining on his current deal, his price tag will almost certainly rise if Arsenal decide to once again come knocking for the midfielder, with it likely that the Gunners will have to pull a bid far more lavish than £25m to lure the whiz away.
Why is he worth that much?
Previously lauded as “outstanding” by Villa legend Gabriel Agbonlahor, Luiz has become one of Villa’s most integral players, leading by example in midfield.
Last season, the former Etihad outsider showcased just why he is so highly regarded in the Midlands, as he had a direct hand in 12 Premier League goals, as well as being a reliable figure to reduce threat in the engine room.
In 37 appearances, the Brazilian scored six goals and registered six assists, ending the campaign as Villa’s best performing player with an average Sofascore match rating of 7.10 in the Premier League.
Despite being deployed in a deep role in midfield, Luiz was one of Villa’s key creators last season, as supported by his average of 1.2 key passes per game while maintaining a pass completion rate of 86%, via Sofascore.
Consistency is the most admirable element to the 25-year-old’s game, with his performances last term suggesting that he is reaching his prime, as his form continues into the 2023/24 campaign.
In eight league appearances so far, Luiz has already scored three goals and has maintained an average match rating of 7.38, cementing his importance to the Midlands club who will be desperate to keep hold of his commanding presence amid speculation.
What could Douglas Luiz offer to Arsenal?
There are a host of elements that Luiz could offer Arsenal based off his skill set alone, however with reference to the lack of fulfilment of Xhaka’s advancing role from deep, the 25-year-old could be the ideal acquisition.
With Kai Havertz showing better form when sitting around the striker, and Partey being dealt consistent injury blows, Luiz could be the perfect addition to Arteta’s midfield plans.
Prior to last season, Xhaka was identifiable as a brute, a combative and ill-mannered midfielder with a hot head, however last term he blossomed into a glorious advancing presence.
The Swiss scored seven goals in the Premier League last season, playing a similar game to that of Luiz at Villa, in being both an attacking threat and an uncompromisable presence in the heart of midfield.
Granit Xhaka vs Douglas Luiz 2022/23 Premier League stats per 90
Granit Xhaka
Douglas Luiz
Goals
7
6
Assists
7
6
Progressive passes
5.89
4.55
Progressive carries
1.26
1.48
Tackles
1.02
2.24
Carries
33.44
35.11
Dribblers challenged
1.23
1.94
Figures via FBref
As highlighted in the table above, the two midfielders have similar strengths, adding to Luiz’s potential claim to fit into Arteta’s budding squad, with the numbers suggesting that he could quite easily fill the void left by Xhaka’s departure.
After signing Rice, the Spaniard bolstered the stability of his midfield, but again by losing Xhaka, the balance in transition became slightly disrupted, which is where links to the Brazilian could become encouraging.
There is no doubt that the 25-year-old has an obscene amount of quality that has passed the Premier League test with flying colours, however, whether Arsenal are serious once again to battle for his signature remains as speculation.
