Arsenal have a range of options on their shortlist as they seek out a new midfielder, but a deal for any of them will not be easy.
Mikel Arteta is keen on signing a player who can play at the base of midfield to help Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard thrive in more advanced positions.
Thomas Partey looks set to leave after another injury-stricken campaign, and the key will be finding a player who can replace both his passing and dribbling ability, whilst providing some physicality off the ball.
Martin Zubimendi appeared to be Arteta’s preferred candidate, but a move is now up in the air as his reported preference is to remain at Real Sociedad.
A move for Aston Villa star Douglas Luiz has been mooted, but despite Arteta’s long-term admiration for him, it now appears that the Brazilian is prioritising a move elsewhere over the Emirates.
Douglas Luiz prefers move to Juventus over Arsenal
A report from Italian outlet TuttoJuve has now claimed that Luiz is open to a move away from Aston Villa, who need to raise funds from sales to meet profit and sustainability regulations, but he prefers Juventus, who just returned to the Champions League, over Arsenal as a possible destination.
“From the Premier League, even Douglas Luiz, a very strong and prolific midfielder of Aston Villa would like Juventus despite the pressure of Arsenal and other English clubs, who can certainly put substantial offers on the plate, but the Brazilian is fascinated by Italy, the Italian championship and by the stories of Danilo, Bremer and of Alex Sandro, his teammates or former national teammates,” the report stated.
“He would like to arrive in Turin always on the condition of finding an agreement on the engagement, since the offers that come from the Premier League are very attractive, but the player with the same proposal would give a preferential lane to Juventus.”
Douglas Luiz is not the best option for Arsenal this summer
Although Luiz has had a terrific campaign with Aston Villa, he is arguably not the best option for Arteta out of the midfielders on his wishlist.
Fellow Brazilian Bruno Guimaraes surpasses Luiz in several key stats, and whilst the 26-year-old did produce superb output in front of goal, he is inferior to Partey when it comes to dribbling, a vital attribute to play in his role and to play out of pressure.
At 26, it is possible that this season was Luiz’s peak, and a reported £60m price tag would be a huge outlay on him, when it is clear that he is not the outright preferred option.
Arsenal should prioritise other targets, and a gamble on a younger star in Joao Neves could be a better option in the long run. If Luiz joins now, Arsenal may find themselves in the market for an upgrade within three years, but a higher quality, or younger signing, would cement the midfield trio for the best part of a decade.