Sports

Aston Villa Turns Down Arsenal’s £23m Bid For Douglas Luiz

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 26: Douglas Luiz of Aston Villa Reacts during the Premier League match between Aston Villa and Crystal Palace at Villa Park on December 26, 2020 in Birmingham, England. The match will be played without fans, behind closed doors as a Covid-19 precaution. (Photo by Rui Vieira - Pool/Getty Images)

Arsenal have had a bid for Brazilian midfielder Douglas Luiz rejected by Aston Villa despite improved £23m offer from the Gunners on Thursday.

The Brazilian’s future has been the subject of much speculation during the summer transfer window, and a number of clubs have been linked with his services over the last 24 hours.

Arsenal were believed to be at the head of the queue for the midfielder, with Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano claiming that the Gunners had already agreed personal terms with the potential addition and the player himself rejecting the overtures from Liverpool.

“If Aston Villa don’t sell him today, Luiz can speak to other clubs from January and leave for free next summer. Villa have said he is not for sale but the player wants to join Arsenal. However, he would like to leave the club on good terms,” Sky Sports reporter Kaveh Solhekol said on The Transfer Show.

Solhekol claims that Arteta is keen to bring Luiz to the Emirates Stadium, but it will be a race against the clock to sign him before the window closes for business.

The 24-year-old, who has entered the final year of his contract at Villa Park, has scored twice in five appearances for Steven Gerrard’s side during the 2022-23 campaign.

Izuchukwu Okosi

Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc. In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio. He worked there for 13 years until October 2017. Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch. He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations. Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ). He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line. Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.