Aston Villa selling Douglas Luiz for £60m has 'no chance' of happening

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·24 December 2023

Aston Villa selling Douglas Luiz for £60m has 'no chance' of happening

Aston Villa star Douglas Luiz is unlikely to be sold in January, as journalist Neil Moxley believes he is set to stay at Villa Park.
Luiz has been in scintillating form this season, establishing himself as one of the best performers in the Premier League and a crucial player for Aston Villa.
Rumours linking Luiz with a move away from Aston Villa have surfaced, but the club are not wanting to risk derailing their season by selling him.

Aston Villa star Douglas Luiz has 'no chance' of being sold in January, with journalist Neil Moxley believing he's all but guaranteed to stay at Villa Park beyond the winter transfer window.

Luiz has been in scintillating form for Aston Villa this season, as the midfielder has shone in Unai Emery's side and established himself as one of the best performers in the Premier League. Crucial to the Villans' early success, there had been chatter that Luiz could leave for pastures new when the window opens.

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However, Moxley has rubbished the rumours, suggesting the Brazil international was only likely to leave the Champions League chasers under a specific set of circumstances.

Very few people would've had Aston Villa one point off the top spot approaching the halfway point of the Premier League season back in August, but such has been the West Midlands outfit's strong start to the campaign, they're well in the mix for a 2024 title push. The weekend come-from-behind victory over Brentford was their fifth league triumph in a row, with scalps against Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City and Arsenal having all come during that time.

One of the division's - and in truth Europe's - hottest sides right now, Aston Villa owe plenty to the performances of midfield anchor Luiz, who has taken his game to a new level this season. Averaging a 7.20 WhoScored rating for his performances in the Premier League, only top scorer and England international Ollie Watkins has a higher ranking, illustrating just how crucial Luiz has been.

It's reflected in Luiz's goal contributions for Aston Villa too, as despite him playing as the deepest man in their midfield, the 25-year-old has still notched up six goals and four assists across all competitions. And it's no surprise that on the back of such fine form, rumours linking him with a move away from Aston Villa are starting to pick up.

Premier League clubs circling after Luiz's strong start

Moxley told GIVEMESPORT back in October that attention on Luiz was beginning to grow, with the journalist questioning whether a return to Man City could be on the cards, as the treble-winners look for a solution to their Kalvin Phillips problem. However, it's been Arsenal who are the side said to hold the most interest.

Transfer insider Dean Jones told GIVEMESPORT last month that Arsenal were getting excited about Luiz, but dubbed any chances of him moving to the Emirates Stadium as unlikely. It came amid reports that Luiz could be available for as little as £60 million in January - a valuation which has since been laughed off.

Neil Moxley update - Douglas Luiz

When asked about the rumoured £60 million price tag, Moxley hinted that not even double that would guarantee Luiz's exit from Villa Park next month, with Aston Villa said to be holding out for a hefty transfer fee, should any clubs come knocking. Suggesting the one-time European champions aren't willing to risk derailing their season by cashing in, the journalist told GIVEMESPORT:

"The only way I can see that happening (Luiz leaving) is if there's an escape clause in his contract. There's no chance it’s at that price. I mean, if you think Declan Rice has gone £105 million, I think £60 million, somebody's just having a bit of a laugh with that to be quite frank. “This guy is right at the very top of his game at the moment, he's got four or five years' worth of Premier League experience under his belt now, he's the standout performer, never looks flustered and pretty much always makes the right decision.”

Title surge to continue with Luiz in the side for unlikely Villans

Why would Aston Villa sell when they're on the brink of history? Even if the title does prove to be a step too far for the Villa Park outfit, Emery's side has never qualified for the Champions League, but have as good a chance as anyone of finishing inside the top four this season.

After Friday's clash at Villa Park against Sheffield United, it's a trip to Old Trafford on Boxing Day to face a hit-and-miss Manchester United outfit, before they round off what has been a wonderful 2023 with a home match against Burnley. The new year kicks off with an FA Cup clash against Middlesbrough before it's off to Goodison Park, where their Premier League campaign restarts versus Everton.