Douglas Luiz has insisted that he is “totally” focused on Aston Villa despite being linked with a potential move to Arsenal or Liverpool.
The Brazilian has been one of the standout players of the Premier League season thus far, catching the eyes of both the Gunners and the Reds thanks to his performances for a high-flying Aston Villa outfit.
Luiz was asked about these links in an interview with Sky Sports, replying that while he is happy to be linked with those clubs, he is focused solely on playing for Villa.
“I am very happy to hear the stories but I am here at Aston Villa. My focus is totally here. I don’t spend a lot of time looking at the stories. I see them, but I don’t focus on that and I’m not looking at it every day. My head is here at Aston Villa,” he said.
Liverpool have been heavily linked with a number of midfielders ahead of the January transfer window. Along with Luiz, Fluminense star Andre is also a said to be a target for the Reds.
90min understands Arsenal have closely monitored Luiz throughout the 2023/24 season, with manager Mikel Arteta and sporting director Edu Gasper being huge admirers of the Villa star. Arsenal made three bids to sign Luiz during the 2022 summer window – the highest worth £25m – but ultimately saw all three bids be rejected by Villa.
Sources recently confirmed that Villa have no intention of selling their star midfielder in January either, while Luiz is committed to the club and keen to help them qualify for the UEFA Champions League.
Luiz has been in fantastic form during the first half of the 2023/24 season, scoring five goals and bagging two assists as his side have mounted a genuine top four challenge – they currently sit in fourth place in the table.
The 25-year-old was keen to praise manager Unai Emery for getting the best out of him in recent months when discussing his current form.
“Unai, honestly, is an incredible manager. Since he arrived here, he has changed the history of the club. Aston Villa is a very big club in England, but things weren’t going so well. Unai has changed it. Now, people respect the club and the players more,” Luiz added.
“I believe I am in the best moment of my career. The manager demands a lot from me and I believe he has helped me a lot as well. I am happier than ever to keep working and continue evolving.”
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