According to Sky Sports’ Transfer Show, Everton are now challenging Arsenal for signing Douglas Luiz. The Gunners also want to sign the Brazilian but the Toffees are expected to make a late move for Douglas Luiz. Both the clubs are desperate to strengthen their midfield and see Douglas Luiz as their target.
Luiz has a price tag of £15 million which can be a bargain for all the clubs. The Brazilian is a defensive midfielder and both the clubs can profit a lot from Luiz. Arsenal wants to return to the Champions League. They are now challenging for a top-four spot where they are facing tough competition.
Everton are severely underperforming this season and see themselves 16th on the Premier League table. They are also looking forward to signing a new manager to revive their season. They have to improve the quality on the pitch and also the depth in their squad in order to finish in the top half of the table.
Arsenal also started the season poorly but have come back from their poor form. However, they have not won a single game in the month of January. Moreover, a few players are also likely to leave the club soon. They also need to improve the first team quality and quality of their depth to sustain and play the Champions League consecutively.
What can Douglas Luiz provide Everton?
Douglas Luiz is a tenacious tackler and a superb game reader. His ball-handling abilities allow Aston Villa to play their style of football while also allowing them to play against tough opponents. Luiz has the ability to drift past opponents to gain space and a chance to create a chance. He may also respond to the opposition’s press by playing one-touch football.
In a game, he averages 1.9 tackles and 1.2 interceptions. Luiz also makes 1.4 critical passes per game, completes 1.2 dribbles, and is fouled 1.7 times. He also throws 1.6 long balls each game, with an 84.4 percent pass success rate (stats via whoscored). These numbers could rise much higher if he gains more experience and joins a team with superior players.
Everton will get a very good player if they complete the deal. The Toffees have to go through a transition phase and Luiz can be an important player in that scenario. Lampard is likely to take over at Everton and he has the capability to improve Douglas Luiz as a player. He can also improve Everton as a team and make them a top-half contender again.
Two of the top clubs are interested in signing the Brazilian which shows that the player is capable of playing at the top level. Luiz will have more chances of playing in the Champions League with Arsenal. However, he will have less competition to start and more game time at Everton. It should also be kept in mind that Villa manager Steven Gerrard will not let the Brazilian leave so easily.
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