According to a recent report from Birmingham Live, it was stated that Aston Villa forward Douglas Luiz could exit in the January transfer window with Chelsea showing keen interest. It is understood that the Brazilian has less than 12 months on his current contract at Villa Park, so he could leave for free next summer if he does not sign a contract extension. However, the Blues could make a bid in January as they press the Villans to sell him for less than his £40million valuation.
Luiz’s Recent Form At Aston Villa
Luiz has fallen down the pecking order following Boubacar Kamara’s arrival at Villa Park. He has mainly been on rotation in Steven Gerrard’s playing XI this season as he has struggled to earn regular first-team opportunities. However, the Brazilian sensation has still managed to find the back of the net on two occasions over seven appearances this season.
The 24-year-old has made the most of his minutes coming off the bench, averaging 0.7 tackles and 0.7 key passes per game in the Premier League. He was even accurate when distributing the ball from the midfield after completing 86.7% of his attempted passes in the English first division (stats via whoscored).
Should Gerrard Sanction His Exit From Villa Park?
Luiz excels at distributing the ball and maintaining possession in the centre of the park. He can also make some crucial interceptions and time his tackles to win the ball back for his side. Furthermore, he can find the back of the net on a few occasions to add to the attacking prowess from time to time.
At 24, he still has a lot of room for development and could even thrive to become an all-rounded midfielder. He has got the vision to make some decisive passes and can shield the backline to create pressure on the opposition attackers. However, he has been struggling with minutes on the pitch and at this point of his career, he would surely move away to a club that can offer him regular playtime.
Steven Gerrard had rejected a few bids for the holding midfielder in the summer transfer window and in January when Arsenal had showed keen interest but if he decides to keep him at Villa Park until next summer, he could very well lose him for free. So it would be wise for the Villans to accept a reduced bid for Luiz in the following winter transfer window if they wish to profit from his exit otherwise they would be dealt a huge blow should he decide not to extend his contract any further.
