Juventus set to reignite interest in surprise move to sign Arsenal target: Reports
Juventus are set to reignite their interest in Arsenal target and Aston Villa star Douglas Luiz in the summer of 2023, as per Calciomercato (h/t Birmingham Mail).
The Brazilian midfielder was the subject of late bids from the Gunners on the last day of the summer transfer window this season. However, Villa stood their ground and placed a £40 million price tag on Luiz to fend off interest from potential suitors.
The former Manchester City midfielder has retained his admirers in Italy, with Roma and Juventus tracking his situation at Villa Park. He is in the final 12 months of his contract and could leave as a free agent next year.
The Villans were in talks to extend Luiz's contract earlier this year but nothing seems to have materialized so far. It has now been claimed that the Gunners could return with a bid of £15 million in the January transfer window but will face competition from Juve.
@DG_DouglasLuizGold. 😍 @DG_DouglasLuiz https://t.co/7yvvUP2n3G
Luiz is approaching the prime years of his career and is an important part of manager Steven Gerrard's squad. He has scored twice in seven appearances across competitions this season - including his strike against Arsenal in a 2-1 Premier League loss on August 31.
The midfielder has also been linked with Chelsea, Atletico Madrid, and Liverpool, with the Reds arguably the most in need of reinforcements in midfield.
Jurgen Klopp's side are eighth in the Premier League table with just nine points from six league games. The Merseysiders' poor start can be attributed to their injury crisis in midfield and they cannot be ruled out of the race to sign Luiz.
Meanwhile, Fabio Vieira, who chiefly plays as a number 10, was Arsenal's only arrival in midfield this summer.
Juventus star not looking to leave despite fresh Arsenal links
According to 90min, Dusan Vlahovic is not seeking an early exit from Juventus despite speculation that Arsenal have rekindled their interest in the player.
The Serbia international left Fiorentina to join Juve in January this year despite interest from the north London outfit. The Gunners saw Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang leave the Emirates to join Barcelona after terminating his contract by way of mutual consent.
Arsenal waited until the summer to make their move and signed Gabriel Jesus from Manchester City in a transfer worth £45 million. The move has started to pay dividends, as the Brazil international registered four goals and three assists in seven matches across competitions for his new club.
Vlahovic, meanwhile, has scored four times in eight appearances this campaign However, Juventus are reeling in eighth place in the table after amassing just 10 points in seven games.