According to Telegraph, Aston Villa are closing in on the capture of Manchester City youngster Douglas Luiz. The Villans have already agreed transfer terms with the Premier League champions, and the move could soon be officiated. It is believed that the newly promoted outfit will have to fork out somewhere around £15 million for the services of the midfielder, although City have reportedly inserted a buy-back clause.
Douglas Luiz’s struggles in recent years
Luiz joined Manchester City back in 2017, in a €12 million move from Vasco da Gama. But, he struggled to find a work-permit and was immediately loaned out to Girona for two seasons.
However, the youngster failed to make himself a first-team regular for the Catalan outfit, featuring in only 295 minutes of league football in his debut campaign in La Liga. He enjoyed a far more prominent role last season as he made 23 league appearances.
But, he could only muster 1,487 minutes of league football as the Blanquivermells ultimately got relegated with just 37 points on the board. Fortunately for Luiz, though, he has now returned to Etihad following the end of his two-year loan spell at Girona. And it seems like Aston Villa are ready to offer him the opportunity of kickstart his career in England next season.
What can Luiz offer to the table?
A central midfielder by trade, Luiz is known for his versatility as he can be deployed either as a number six or a number eight. However, he generally likes to operate as an eight, which gives him much more freedom as far as offering attacking support is concerned.
Luiz can protect the ball very well and is capable of sustaining pressure from the opposing defenders. And that is what makes him an excellent ball carrier. He is also good at making tackles and is a competent central midfielder. The 21-year-old has a vicious right foot as well, but he needs to improve on his overall productivity and precision, having failed to score a single goal in his 38 appearances in the Spanish top flight.
Where does Luiz fit in at Aston Villa?
Despite their spending spree, Aston Villa are yet to bring in a midfielder this summer. And Luiz, in that regard, could turn out to be a useful addition to the side. The youngster can provide the much-needed competition to the likes of John McGinn, Conor Hourihane and even Jack Grealish, though he operates in an advanced role. The Brazilian also has loads of potential, and at the age of 21, he could be an ideal long-term investment for the Villans.
