According to reports from Fabrizio Romano, Arsenal has refocused their attention on midfielder Douglas Luiz of Aston Villa, a long-term transfer target.
To replace Thomas Partey, who has been sidelined for the majority of the season due to injury, the Gunners are hoping to sign a defensive-minded midfielder.
It is anticipated that the 30-year-old midfielder won’t return to action until at least January, at which point he will immediately join his Ghanaian teammates for the African Cup of Nations. However, reports from Sky Sports have also hinted that Partey may make a January transfer to Juventus.
If this is the case, Arsenal’s chances of winning the Premier League title will probably be increased if they go back to the market to sign a long-term Partey replacement. After an unsuccessful summer transfer in 2022, Romano claims that Luiz is at the top of Arteta’s list. However, he also notes that Aston Villa is hesitant to sell the player because of their hopes of succeeding under Unai Emery.
Luiz is a vital member of the Aston Villa team and has improved his goal total in recent months. To lessen the impact of his departure, Arsenal might propose a trade to Aston Villa that includes Emile Smith-Rowe, a three-time England international, as one of their squad members.
Smith-Rowe joined Arsenal’s roster in 2010 and completed the academy eight years later. Following productive stints at RB Leipzig and Huddersfield Town, he made his renowned debut during the 2021–2022 season.
During his breakthrough years with the Gunners, the 23-year-old midfielder scored 10 goals in 33 games, attracting the interest of the England national team and earning him a description as a “future Arsenal captain” in the documentary series All Or Nothing.
But Smith Rowe’s development has stalled recently, and in the last 16 months, he has only made 16 appearances in the league, making it difficult for him to get minutes in the starting lineup.
Smith-Rowe is hoping to make a comeback into the starting lineup after shining for England during their summer U21 championship run. This might force him to relocate, and a team the calibre of Villa could be the ideal setting for him to launch his career.
Smith-Rowe might be included in the Luiz deal to lower the cost for the Gunners, according to reports from football.london.
Gabriel Agbonlahor, an ex-Villa player, also voiced his opinion on TalkSport, stating that Luiz’s current market value is probably around £60 million, which is a substantial amount more than the £25 million Arsenal offered two summers ago.
