After coming agonisingly close to a Premier League title for the second successive season, it appears that Edu Gaspar is prepared to give Arsenal the backing they need to finally get the better of Man City.
Arsenal want to sign a midfield partner for Rice
It is well known that the top of Mikel Arteta's wishlist going into the transfer window is a new central midfielder. Since Declan Rice arrived in a club-record £105million deal last summer, the Gunners have struggled to find a suitable partner for the Englishman in the middle of the park.
Arsenal now make £45m+ transfer offer to sign "intelligent" star for Arteta
Could he be what the Gunners need to finally win the Premier League?
ByJosh BarkerJun 2, 2024
Thomas Partey was once the favoured personnel in this position however, the 30-year-old was limited to just nine starts in the league last season. The Ghana international now looks set for a move away from North London with talks ongoing over the midfielder's exit.
In the absence of Partey, Arteta has opted to deploy Jorginho in a more prominent role than first imagined. The Italian arrived at the Emirates with the view of being a backup however, the lack of other options saw the 31-year-old make 24 league appearances for the Gunners last season.
In regard to the transfer market, Edu has had his eye on a number of targets. Leeds United's Archie Gray is among those on the wishlist, but the Gunners' priority for some time has been Aston Villa's Douglas Luiz. Whilst Arsenal have courted the Brazilian for a number of seasons, the club have now been dealt a significant blow in their pursuit.
Villa want Arsenal to pay premium to secure Luiz deal
Reports out of Italy via Sports Witness have suggested that Arsenal will now face competition from across Europe for Luiz's signature. According to the outlet, the Gunners are joined by the Premier League's Manchester United and Liverpool, as well as Italian giants Juventus in the race to sign the midfielder.
Villa appear to value the 26-year-old at £60million with the Midlands outfit reluctant to let the Brazilian leave for any less than this figure. It is also suggested that the Villans' preference is for Luiz to move to the continent, and to ensure this they could even demand up to a £17million premium on any Premier League club wishing to get a deal done.
Even if Arsenal are forced to pay extra to secure his services, Luiz would still be a major coup for the Gunners. Branded as an "underrated", player by Arsenal legend Paul Merson, the Brazilian was even dubbed as "better than Rice", by former winger Jermaine Pennant after the Villans' 1-0 win over Arsenal last season.
Goals
7
9
Assists
8
5
Passes completed
2041
1800
Tackles
83
58
Progressive carries
75
60
From the stats shown above, it is evident that Luiz can offer a good balance with Rice, providing more goals but also with plenty of defensive contribution too. With Arteta expecting all of his players to be comfortable on the ball and able to contribute on the attacking front, there is no doubt that the Brazilian would slot into Arsenal's starting eleven with ease.
Even if they have to pay a little extra to get a deal over the line, it is clear that bringing Luiz to the Emirates would be a major step towards Arsenal finally lifting the Premier League title.
