Arsenal handed boost as PL rivals ready to sell Gunners target for cut-price fee: Reports

According to a report by TeamTalk, Arsenal have a chance to sign Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz on a discount. The Brazilian was initially valued at £100 million by the Birmingham-based club, but they could sell him at a lower price.

Due to concerns about Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR), Villa could be forced to make the sale to avoid running into trouble with the Premier League. Villa are one of six clubs believed to be running close to breaching the sustainability rules of the league. The other five clubs are Newcastle United, Chelsea, Everton, Leicester City, and Nottingham Forest.

Arsenal could take advantage of the situation and sign a player they have been targeting for a while. The Gunners tried to sign Luiz in 2022, but their offer failed to impress the Birmingham-based side.

The Gunners will hope to sign and field Douglas Luis in midfield along with Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard. The report suggests that the 26-year-old could cost Arsenal £50 million, half of the initially quoted price. The Brazilian could be a fitting replacement for Thomas Partey and help Arsenal win the league next season if a move comes through.

Arsenal set to complete £27 million deal

Arsenal look set to finalize their deal to sign Spanish goalkeeper David Raya from Brentford. The Gunners bought the keeper on loan last season with an option to make the deal permanent.

Raya duly delivered while he was on loan at the Emirates and helped the Gunners finish second in the league. His abilities saw him win the Golden Glove, as the Gunners conceded only 29 goals during their Premier League campaign.

Speaking about his future, the former Blackburn and Brentford keeper said he was keen to make the move to the Emirates. The Spaniard said (via the Daily Cannon):

"I would love to be at Arsenal next season and, if that’s the case, it would be amazing, a dream come true to sign for this club, I don’t want to think too much about the future. It’s not up to me. It’s up to the club and Mikel. If my performances have been good enough, hopefully, they will offer me a contract.”

It remains to be seen if a deal will be announced, but with the results of the last season being so positive, it will likely be sooner rather than later. The Gunners will be keen to unveil their Spanish shot-stopper soon, with Mikel Arteta keen to assemble a team that can finally win the Premier League title next season.

About the author

Patrick is a European and international football journalist at Sportskeeda covering news and transfer rumors. A Business Administration graduate with a professional experience of 10 years, one of his earliest childhood memories is watching Calabar Rovers play at the U.J. Esuene Stadium with his father, with whom, he connects with, discussing the beautiful game.

Patrick’s favorite team is Manchester United for their unparallelled legacy and success in the game. He is a big admirer of Michael Carrick and his ‘smooth’ style of play back in the days. His favorite manager is Jose Mourinho, who according to him, brought a ‘swagger’ to football with his unique managerial style. Robin van Persie’s title-winning volley against Aston Villa for the 2013 PL triumph is etched in his memory forever.

Patrick always uses trusted outlets that produce accurate, balanced and fair information, and which present multiple point of views. He believes in reporting in a holistic manner for the readers’ benefit. If he could change a football rule, he would increase the number of substitutions allowed due to the high number of games played these days, to reduce injuries and so that youngsters get to show their talent as well.

When not covering football, Patrick loves reading, writing poems and short stories, and spend time with his dog Lana.

Know More

Edited by Parag Jain