Many Premier League opponents have expressed interest in Douglas Luiz as a result of his performances for Aston Villa, making him one of the most talked-about commodities of the January transfer window.
Though Unai Emery’s team is also vying for trophies this year and is currently fourth in the Premier League after 21 games, the Midlands club is not in a hurry to part with its valued asset.
According to a recent report from Football Insider, Arsenal is willing to go above and beyond to secure the midfielder’s services, despite Liverpool’s apparent interest in moving for the Brazilian.
Let’s take a look at three possible Luiz replacements that Villa may sign now or in the summer, since reinforcements would need to be in the works if a move does happen this month.
Mandela Keita – Royal Antwerp
The first possible substitute for Luiz is the 21-year-old Mandela Keita, a midfielder for the Belgium Pro League.
A report from TEAMtalk in the Netherlands claims that Villa is interested in signing the £17 million-rated Belgian.
As you can see, the young player has made several appearances this season and has garnered Champions League experience. Keita is a defensive-minded midfielder by position who possesses a great passing range and is very comfortable with the ball, as evidenced by the fact that, according to FBref, he is in the top one percentile for pass completion percentage in the Belgian League.
Keita has already played for Royal Antwerp and his parent team, Oud-Heverlee Leuven, this season, therefore this move can only happen in the summer.
Matt O’Riley – Celtic
Towards the end of December, Sky Sports reported that the Villans were interested in signing Matt O’Riley from Celtic for what would be a fee of at least £25m.
With a little more emphasis on attacking the ball, the Dane would play in a manner akin to Luiz’s. But as the table below demonstrates, he is an all-around player.
The 23-year-old’s greatest asset is his ability to create in the last third of the game. He also excels at halting counterattacks, making tackles, and intercepting passes while being tenacious while out of possession.
Additionally, Jacek Kulig, a Football Talent Scout, describes him as a “absolute leader,” meaning he will assume responsibilities in the middle of the park, much like Luiz does at the moment. Beside the engines of Boubacar Kamara and John McGinn, O’Riley would flourish.
Emile Smith-Rowe – Arsenal
Emile Smith Rowe’s tenure at Arsenal may come to an end, according to a recent report from Ben Jacobs via GiveMeSport. The journalist wrote:
“I’ve been informed that Villa has a sincere interest in Smith Rowe.”
Despite being an attacking player by trade, Smith Rowe has the potential to be a fantastic Luiz substitute. Nevertheless, the Gunners jewel wouldn’t replace McGinn as a starting XI replacement; instead, he may assume the inverted winger position, with the Scot covering for Kamara.
The 23-year-old has struggled to return to Mikel Arteta’s starting lineup due to injuries over the past few seasons, as evidenced by the display. But his ten-goal Premier League season in 2021–2022 shows that he can compete with the best.
To resurrect his career, all he needs is game time and the confidence of a manager, which Villa and Emery would provide him.
