Arsenal now told ‘very underrated’ £60m transfer target is as good as Declan Rice

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Former Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson has now voiced his opinion on Douglas Luiz.

Arsenal have been heavily linked with a move for Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz.

Whilst the Brazilian star has been dubbed Mikel Arteta’s “dream” January arrival, it is thought that the north London club will have to shell out at least £60 million to bring the 25-year-old to the Emirates Stadium this month.

This would represent a hefty investment, and may well be beyond Arsenal’s financial reach at this time, as the Gunners reportedly only have a limited transfer budget at their disposal this winter. Unless significant sales are made, Luiz is unlikely to make the switch to north London. 

There is also an argument that Luiz is not the player Arsenal need at this time. It could be said that bringing in attacking and defensive reinforcements ought to be the priority for the Gunners this month, rather than bolstering their options in the middle of the park.

What do Arsenal need in January?

Arsenal have struggled for goals in recent weeks, and their profligacy in the final third has cost Arteta’s side dearly. The Gunners have lost their last three matches, across all competitions, having found the back of the net only once during that period.

They have created a huge number of chances in these games, but the likes of Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, Leandro Trossard, and Martin Odegaard, amongst others, have been extremely wasteful in front of goal. This enhances the argument that a new striker should be at the top of Arteta’s shopping list.

Equally, Jurrien Timber’s long-term injury and the departure of Takehiro Tomiyasu for the Asia Cup has left Arsenal extremely light on numbers at the back. Transfer journalist David Ornstein has already suggested that this is the area of the pitch Arsenal are most keen to invest in this month.

This all suggests that Luiz is unlikely to join the club this month. However, he would be an excellent addition to Arteta’s squad were he to make the move. With Thomas Partey, Jorginho, and Mohamed Elneny all in the twilight years of their careers, Luiz would come in alongside Declan Rice and represent the long-term future of the Arsenal midfield contingent. 

Paul Merson compares Douglas Luiz with Declan Rice and Rodri

Rice has been exceptional for Arsenal this season. However, Paul Merson believes Luiz is just as deserving of plaudits for his performances as the former West Ham United man. Writing in Sportskeeda, Merson said of Luiz, “he can sit as a holding midfielder and mop things up for his team but he also gets in the box and scores goals – as we’ve seen so often this season. He’s quite well-rounded and still very underrated, but in the 2023-24 campaign, he has started getting his fair share of recognition.”

“People wouldn’t put him in the same breath as Declan Rice or Rodri, but based on their performances this season, I’d certainly put Luiz up there with the pair. With Casemiro and Fabinho past their best in recent seasons, the ex-Manchester City midfielder could also become a key player for Brazil in the years ahead.”