Arsenal’s failure to land Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz on deadline day could serve as a blessing in disguise for the London giants, who might be able to snap him up for a nominal fee in the not-too-distant future....CONTINUE READING THE FULL ARTICLE>>>
The Gunners tried hard to strike a last-minute deal with the Lions for the services of Brazil international, who is only tied down to Aston Villa until the end of the current campaign.
As many as three unsuccessful bids were tabled by the Gunners as the clock ticked down to Thursday’s all-important deadline, with Arsenal ultimately being forced to accept defeat in their efforts to bring Douglas to the London club.
They could well decide to go back in for Luiz when the transfer window re-opens in winter, though, and may even reap the rewards of waiting until the new year to revisit their pursuit of his signature.
The 24-year-old midfielder was understood to have been eager to join the Gunners and was said to have agreed on personal terms with Arsenal in spite of Villa’s reluctance to sell him. His current employers were determined to hold out for a fee of £40m in order to let him go, but no such bid arrived and he was forced to stay put as a result.
However, the London giants may be able to poach the Brazilian midfielder for a significantly reduced price in winter if he decides against signing a new deal with Aston Villa over the coming months.
