Manchester City may be scouring the market for a superstar centre-back this summer but they are also keeping an eye on options to bolster their midfield and are reportedly interested in bringing Aston Villa star Douglas Luiz back to Etihad before the upcoming campaign.
Reports in Brazil (via Express and Star) claim that City are ready to trigger a £25m buy-back clause they inserted in Luiz’s deal with Villa last summer.
Villa still remain confident of retaining the 22-year-old but is he the right man for City?
Why The Interest In Douglas Luiz?
The Brazilian star moved to England with Manchester City back in 2017 but failed to break into the first team, after issues with his work permit.
Villa had no such problems and took Douglas Luiz to Villa Park for just £15m last summer and ever since, the 22-year-old has been a regular in the first team under Dean Smith, growing in confidence with each passing match.
He made 28 Premier League starts in which he registered three goals and two assists and was crucial in Villa’s tantalising escape from the clutches of relegation this season.
Playing at the heart of the midfield in a 4-3-3 system, Luiz was an energetic presence in the middle of the field, constantly cutting off passes into the box and frustrating even the best teams in the country.
He is adept at sitting back and breaking up play but what makes Luiz dangerous is his ability to turn defence into attack quickly. The Brazilian is an excellent passer but can also dribble out of tight spaces. He rarely loses possession of the ball and can run the game from the midfield on his day.
Douglas Luiz does need to work on his positioning, but at just 22, he has a high ceiling and it is no surprise that Guardiola wants him back at the Etihad for the next season.
Right Man For City?
With David Silva no longer on their books, City need a creative midfielder to replace the Spaniard next season, who will not necessarily have to be a new signing. But more importantly, City also have other issues in midfield to solve.
An ageing Fernandinho is currently Guardiola’s best option for the deeper midfield role, a role in which he wasn’t played throughout the recently concluded season, due to unforeseen circumstances.
Rodri seems to possess enough potential for the long term but Ilkay Gundogan, who will also turn 30 soon, is the only backup for him in the squad.
This is where Douglas Luiz can be a game-changer for City.
He may not be a first-team option straight away but the Aston Villa man, having shown that he can handle the Premier League could be more than a decent backup for City’s midfield.
Guardiola saw Luiz’s potential and decided to bring him to England, so if the Spaniard deems Luiz fit enough for his City side, they should do what it takes to land him this summer.
City have a good opportunity to complete a deal on the cheap, by their standards, and not resort to splashing the money for an over-priced big-name player. Luiz seems to have the necessary traits and under Pep, can be expected to take rapid strides in his development.