An ‘integral’ Aston Villa player could be on his way out of Villa Park after claiming he ‘wants to leave’ the club this summer.
After finishing fourth and securing Champions League football for the 2024/25 campaign, Aston Villa are entering a pivotal transfer window.
Unai Emery needs to bolster his squad with players ready to play at an elite level but they have been told to sell one of their key players to finance summer incomings, or risk falling foul of the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability rules.
It has been claimed that losses already accrued by the club in recent years could see them cross the £105m threshold for losses over three seasons without at least one major outgoing this summer.
It means that one of Emery’s stars could depart and while that is highly unlikely to be Emi Martinez or Ollie Watkins, Villa have been told their midfield is ‘replaceable’.
Douglas Luiz is the likely candidate to leave Villa Park as interest mounts in the Brazilian.
Douglas Luiz ‘wants to leave’ Aston Villa as Juventus show interest
An ‘integral’ part of Emery’s engine room, Luiz has transformed into a Champions League-level player since the Spaniard’s arrival.
The 26-year-old – who they signed from Man City for £15 million in 2019 – has been deployed in an advanced role, offered license to roam forward with nine goals and five assists in 35 Premier League outings.
Although his form dropped following Boubacar Kamara’s injury, he’s still the lynchpin of Villa’s midfield and it would hurt to lose him.
However, they may have no choice in that regard with Gazzetta dello Sport claiming that Luiz ‘wants to leave’ the club this summer as Juventus show an interest in the midfielder.
Whilst it was previously reported that Arsenal and Liverpool wanted him and Villa were asking for £100 million, he is now said to be valued at €40 million (£34 million).
Aston Villa want Juventus duo Weston McKennie and Matias Soule
As part of the deal to sell Luiz, Villa are being offered midfielder Weston McKennie and highly-rated winger Matis Soule.
McKennie played 34 times in Serie A last term and supplied seven assists while Soule flourished out on loan at Frosinone, scoring 11 goals and providing three assists in 36 outings.
An Argentina under-23 international, 21-year-old Soule is the more promising of the two players and would provide competition for Leon Bailey, or as a second striker to Watkins.
The above report claims Juve are asking for 45 million (£35 million) for the pair, which is 5 million more than what Luiz is rumoured to be valued at.
It remains to be seen what agreement is reached in this deal, though it looks increasingly likely that Luiz will depart and Emery must line up a replacement.
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