Arsenal set to hijack Tottenham's move for Premier League star - Reports
Bitter rivals Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are set to battle it out for Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz, according to The Sun.
Tottenham are hard at work on strengthening their squad ahead of their first season under new manager Ange Postecoglou. They have signed James Maddison and Guglielmo Vicario for a combined £56 million so far, while Manor Solomon has been roped in on a free transfer.
Aston Villa midfielder Luiz, 25, is the latest player to be linked with a move to Spurs. They have set their sights on signing the Brazilian, with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg nearing an exit, according to the aforementioned source. The Denmark international is wanted by Atletico Madrid and Bayern Munich.
Tottenham hope to reinvest the money they receive from Hojbjerg's sale into buying Luiz. However, Postecoglous' side face competition from arch-rivals Arsenal for the former Manchester City midfielder if the report is to be believed.
The Gunners were interested in Luiz before he put pen to paper on a new contract at Villa last year. It appears that Arsenal are prepared to rekindle their interest in the Brazil international amidst uncertainty about Thomas Partey's future. The Ghanaian has been linked with Juventus and clubs in Saudi Arabia.
With Mikel Arteta's side entering the fray, Tottenham have been forced to identify an alternative to Luiz. As per the report, Spurs will pursue a deal for Chelsea's Conor Gallagher if they miss out on the Aston Villa star.
However, signing Gallagher will not be easy either as Chelsea have not decided to sell him yet. The Englishman's availability could depend on the Stamford Bridge outfit signing top midfield target Moises Caciedo, who is valued at £100 million by Brighton & Hove Albion.
How has Arsenal and Tottenham target Douglas Luiz fared for Aston Villa?
Douglas Luiz was on Manchester City's books for two years between 2017 and 2019. However, he could not make a single appearance for the club due to work permit issues. The midfielder eventually joined Aston Villa for £15 million in 2019.
Luis has since been a key player for Villa, making 151 appearances across competitions. He has also scored 12 goals and provided 14 assists for the Birmingham-based club. The Brazilian had an impressive 2022-23 season, bagging six goals and assists each in 37 Premier League games.
It remains to be seen if a move to a bigger club is on the cards for Luiz amidst interest from Arsenal and Tottenham. Villa are under no pressure to sell him as he is contracted to them till 2026. Unai Emery's side could demand a hefty sum for him.