Premier League team willing to offer midfielder in swap deal to sign Barcelona's Franck Kessie: Reports

Aston Villa are reportedly keen to include Douglas Luiz in a swap deal to sign Barcelona star Franck Kessie in January next year.

Luiz, 24, has been a crucial member of the Villans ever since arriving from Manchester City for a fee of €16 million in the summer of 2019. He has scored seven goals and contributed 10 assists in 127 appearances across all competitions for the Unai Emery-coached outfit.

A right-footed defensive midfielder, the Brazilian emerged as a transfer target for Arsenal and Liverpool earlier this summer. However, he ended up penning a new four-year contract at Villa Park last month.

According to Mundo Deportivo (via El Nacional), Barcelona are set to entertain a swap deal involving Luiz and Kessie in January. If the deal does go through, both parties will emerge victorious.

While Emery is interested in a box-to-box midfield profile, Blaugrana boss Xavi Hernandez is in search of a replacement for Sergio Busquets.

Kessie, 25, joined Barcelona on a free transfer during the summer transfer window after running down his contract at AC Milan. Despite being a talisman at the San Siro, he has found it difficult to secure regular first-team action for the Catalan side in the ongoing campaign.

A tireless operator at the heart of the midfield, the Ivorian has started five games for the Blaugrana this term, scoring once in the process.

As per Fichajes, Kessie is interested in exploring the possibility of a departure in January as he is currently unhappy with his squad role at Camp Nou. The La Liga leaders are also reportedly prepared to consider transfer offers in the region of €40 million.

Kessie is currently recovering from a hamstring injury sustained during Barcelona's 4-2 win over Viktoria Plzen in the UEFA Champions League earlier this month. He is expected to be fit and available in six weeks.

Barcelona intensifies contacts with the agent of €60 million-rated La Liga midfielder

As per SPORT, Barcelona director Jordi Cruyff has approached Real Sociedad star Martin Zubimendi's agent with the intention of signing him. Blaugrana boss Xavi Hernandez has identified the €60 million-rated midfielder as the long-term replacement for Sergio Busquets due to his superior technical ability and positional play.

Inaki Ibanez, who is the agent of Zubimendi, is said to be in a cordial relationship with Cruyff as the former represented the latter during his playing days. Ibanez has also collaborated with the Blaugrana in the past, helping with the signing of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in January.

Zubimendi, 23, has established himself as a crucial squad member for Los Txuri-Urdin over the past two seasons. Since coming through the ranks of his boyhood club, he has netted four goals and contributed as many assists in 114 appearances across all competitions.