Latest Aston Villa news from BirminghamLive amid previous claims that Douglas Luiz was attracting interest from Arsenal
Arsenal will look to sign former Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves in January as a potential alternative to Aston Villa’s Douglas Luiz, it is claimed.
The Brazilian midfielder has shone for Unai Emery’s side this season, with five Premier League goals so far in 2023/24. His performances in Claret and Blue have led to recent reports claiming that the Gunners could look to sign Luiz in the new year.
However, the Villans are under no pressure to sell one of their key players as they continue to rise under their Spanish coach. Luiz’s contract is also reportedly not set to expire until 2026.
And according to talkSPORT, the Gunners could now try to beat Newcastle to the signing of Al-Hilal playmaker Ruben Neves instead of targeting Luiz. The midfielder only joined Al-Hilal from Wolves in the summer but is widely reported to have been identified as a target by Newcastle in their efforts to replace the suspended Sandro Tonali.
A potential loan deal is thought to have been discussed at St James’ Park but their plans to swoop for Neves could soon be scuppered by a number of their Premier League rivals.
Shareholders will vote later this month on whether to block loan signings between clubs with the same owners, which would stop the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia from brokering a deal between Newcastle and Al-Hilal. This could work in Arsenal’s favour when it comes to their interest in Neves, with sporting director Edu thought to be a long-term admirer.
