Aston Villa star Douglas Luiz fiercely kills Arsenal transfer hopes with strong statement on future

Douglas Luiz is happy at Aston Villa amid rumours of a move to Arsenal
Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz has staunchly denied reports he could look to leave Villa Park this summer and make a blockbuster transfer to Arsenal amid claims Mikel Arteta’s side are plotting a club-record move for the Brazilian.
The 25-year-old has established himself as one of the leading all-round midfielders in the Premier League with his form in the engine room seen as a major factor in Aston Villa‘s push for a Champions League place this season. And having played a role in 15 goals this season (10 goals, five assists) it is little wonder the player has attracted admiring glances from some of the world’s big spenders.
Indeed, Luiz has been watched on a regular basis by Barcelona in recent weeks as they look to bring in a new top-class midfielder, while the player – often seen on social media for his relationship with popular Aston Villa Women star Alisha Lehmann – has also recently been tipped to return to former club Manchester City, with Pep Guardiola a firm admirer.
DON’T MISS: Aston Villa confident they can agree deal for £100m-rated midfielder, with Arsenal, Man City barged aside
However, the strongest links have come from Arsenal with Mikel Arteta trying – and failing – to sign Luiz back in the summer of 2022. Back then, the Gunners saw a £25m offer for the 13-times capped Brazil midfielder fall short; a decision that has since looked inspired given his form for the club since Unai Emery’s arrival as manager.
In the meantime, the asking price for the game’s top midfielders has soared, with the likes of Enzo Fernandes, Moises Caicedo and Declan Rice all moving for fees in excess of £100m.
As a result, Villa would likely look for a fee in excess of all three of those deals were they to be forced to cash in on their star man.
Arsenal target Douglas Luiz makes strong statement on Villa future
However, despite having to tread a careful line with their spending in the wake of FFP regulations, Villa are under no pressure to sell their star man this summer.
His current deal is due to expire in summer 2026, meaning Villa will soon look to open talks on an extension.
A failure to agree a new deal could lead Villa into a future predicament and the possibility of his exit next year cannot be discounted if Luiz does not commit to a new contract.
With the Gunners in the market for a new midfielder themselves this summer, amid ongoing doubts over the future of both Thomas Partey and Jorginho, they are being tipped to launch a club-record move to tempt Villa into Luiz’s sale.
However, with Luiz approaching the 200-game milestone at Villa, the midfielder has made clear he has no intention of leaving for Arsenal or anyone else, having underlined his commitment to the Midlands outfit.
“We’re all very happy with how this season is going, especially me, with all the history that the club is building and for my goals and assists, too,” Luiz told DAZN Portugal.
“Personally, I’m very happy with it all and I think it’s just the start of a new chapter. As I always say, Aston Villa is a huge club and we’re prepared to write a new chapter.
“Since Unai arrived there was a huge boost in the group’s confidence. I think he brought confidence to the team because we always had a good group of players.
“The squad is pretty much the same, only one or two players were bought in, so I think his work was important for the history that we’re writing.”
Since Emery’s appointment at Villa, the Spaniard boasts an excellent 56.16% win percentage ratio, claiming victories in 41 of his 73 games in charge.
READ MORE: Aston Villa exit wish granted, as surprise move to dethroned champions develops