Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz, ex of one of the most famous female footballers, Alisha Lehmann, has been linked with a move away from the club in recent months, with several clubs reportedly interested in signing him. However, it appears that the Brazilian will not be leaving Villa Park just yet.
Douglas Luiz has been a vital player for the Villans since his arrival back in 2019. Being a vital player for the team, he has been very crucial to the success Aston Villa have been holding recently. With Aston Villa looking to claim yet another high finish in the Premier League, Douglas Luiz will be a massive need for them to succeed.
Since the arrival of the Spanish manager, Unai Emery, Douglas Luiz has played a crucial role in his system. Holding the ability to play anywhere in the midfield, he has provided tactical freedom to the Spaniard. He has been praised for his tenacity, passing ability, and goalscoring prowess by several managers.
With this ability to knack a goal from tight situations, and set piece scenarios. Luiz has yet again caught the eyes of a couple of big-name clubs, Arsenal and Juventus. But Unai Emery has claimed that the Brazilian is not someone who he’d like to leave at this moment in time.
Unai Emery stands firm on Douglas Luiz amid transfer speculation
With Aston Villa flying high yet again in the Premier League this season, Unai Emery has been held with a heap of praise in recent times. Since his arrival back to the Premier League, Unai Emery has earned the second-most points across the Premier League just behind the treble-winning manager, Pep Guardiola.
This season Aston Villa has managed to claim 28 points in just 13 matches played in the Premier League. Being the best-ever start for the Villans in Premier League history, Unai Emery surely would not want any form of disturbance to his lineup for the remainder of the season.
🇧🇷 Arsenal have Douglas Luiz on top of midfield list but #AVFC have no plans to sell him.
Unai Emery: “Douglas is playing very good and his commitment is amazing. I want him here”.
“I am very happy with him and I want to keep him, of course. I think he’s happy with us too”. pic.twitter.com/DIPdCzEyQo
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) November 27, 2023
When asked about Luiz’s transfer speculation after a fantastic 2-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur, Unai Emery said, “Douglas is playing very good and his commitment is amazing. I want him here”. He added further, “I am very happy with him and I want to keep him, of course. I think he’s happy with us too”.
Being linked with Arsenal last year as well, Douglas Luiz committed to the Villans quickly after those links. He went on to sign the contract extension soon after those speculations amid his contract expiring back in July 2023, showcasing his love for both the club and the project it holds.
When signing the contract extension, Douglas Luiz claimed, “I’m so happy in this club and I love this club. I love the people here, the staff, and the players.” He further added, “I’m so comfortable here and I’m so happy.”
🇧🇷 @DGOficial is here to stay. pic.twitter.com/iPuXpdlmw3
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) October 14, 2022
Luiz’s comments suggest that he is happy to stay at Villa and is committed to helping the club achieve its goals. This is good news for Villa fans, who will be hoping that Luiz can continue to play a key role in the team’s success in the years to come.
Since he signed the contract back in October 2022, he has further added 51 appearances for Aston Villa across all competitions, even after playing a defensive midfield position for most of the period he has managed to bag 21 goals and assists within that period of time.
With the transfer window opening in just a month, it is surely going to be a vital month for Emery to give the Brazilian the belief of what this Villa project can achieve and how it can be vital for Luiz as well.