Calciomercato has recently reported that Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz is on the radar of AS Roma. It has been revealed that the Villans midfield ace is one of the targets that Roma boss Jose Mourinho is pursuing as he looks to strengthen his squad in the future.
Luiz’s Impressive Numbers In English Football This Season
Luiz has made a strong start to this campaign despite his club’s recent struggles in the Premier League which has led to the sacking of Dean Smith. The 23-year-old has featured in eight matches for the Villans this season, picking up two assists in the process across all fronts.
The Rio de Janeiro-born sensation has been a consistent performer at the heart of Aston Villa’s midfield as he is averaging 1.6 tackles, 1.5 interceptions, 0.8 clearances, 0.8 shots, 1.6 key passes and 1.3 dribbles per 90 minutes in Premier League football. He has even been neat when distributing possession from midfield, based on his pass success rate of 82.9% in top-flight football (stats via whoscored).
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Can Aston Villa Afford To Sanction Luiz’s Exit?
Luiz is a solid, two-way midfielder who can make some crunching tackles to secure the ball back for his team. He usually offers decent protection for his teammates at the back and can also create some inviting plays for others around him.
The Brazilian midfield ace has a good football IQ that helps him make some encouraging runs with the ball in the opponent’s half. He is a good passer of the ball but needs to add more goals to his game if he wants to taste success at the top level.
At 23, Luiz’s best years are ahead of him, so Aston Villa would be wise to keep hold of him as he might play some of his best football for them in the coming seasons. His current contract at Villa Park is set to expire in the summer of 2023. Hence, there is no immediate need for the Midlands giants to cash in on him.
The Villans have currently got John McGinn, Marvelous Nakamba, Aaron Ramsey and Morgan Sanson fighting for a regular starting place in the Premier League. With all things considered, Aston Villa can afford to sanction Luiz’s exit but would be better off retaining his services for the long run.
