Aston Villa are located eighth in Premier League after 22 games played, with 36 points, ten wins, six draws and six losses.
The Villans have had very hot and cold moments this season, beating Bayern Munich in the Champions League but also suffering heavy defeats against Tottenham, Chelsea and Newcastle.
Unai Emeryon the side they have averaged 49.8% possession per game so far this season, compared to last term when they averaged 52.8% possession per gamesuggesting that their ability to control the game was a little lacking.
Summer signing Amadou Onana has struggled with several injury problems in central midfield, as has Boubacar Kamara who has struggled with injuries at the start of this campaign. This could mean there is room for another midfielder to enter the fray, and perhaps help solve some of Villa’s midfield control issues.
Aston Villa want to sign a contract with the former player
According to reports talkSPORTAston Villa are one of the clubs open to offering Juventus midfielder Douglas Luiz a return to the Premier League.
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Manchester City are another club interested in Luiz, with both interested parties already having the Brazilian on their books in the past.
The 26-year-old moved from Villa to Juventus this summer, joining the Italian giants on a fee of around £42.35m.
Luiz has made 17 appearances this season for Juventus under Thiago Mottahas yet to contribute any success to the side, but has contributed nine clean sheets in his 550 minutes played.
Why Luiz would be Villa’s best deal this January
Donyell Malen is a signing Aston Villa have already made this window, looking to bolster their attacking options with a versatile forward who can play across the entire front line.
The 26-year-old signed for Dortmund for a fee of around £21 millionwhich could rise to £27.7m with performance-related bonuses.
However, with the likes of Morgan Rogers, Ollie Watkins and Jhon Duran already sharing the goals nicely, that midfield for extra control during games could be seen as more important for Emery, leading to the acquisition of a midfield player like Luiz.
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Luiz (23/24) vs Kamara (24/25) comparison |
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|---|---|---|
|
Statistics (per 90 minutes) |
Louise |
Camera |
|
Pass attempt |
59.2 |
48.3 |
|
Passes completed |
52.9 |
43.6 |
|
He passes forward |
12.5 |
14.7 |
|
It goes backwards |
11.3 |
8.4 |
|
Side passes |
35.6 |
25.4 |
|
Contested duels |
8.7 |
11.1 |
|
Get caught |
1.8 |
3.00 |
|
Won duels on the ground |
3.7 |
5.1 |
|
Matches won |
4.5 |
5.8 |
|
Statistics taken from Squawka |
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When we analyze Luiz’s 2023/24 season. for Aston Villa with Kamara’s 2024/25 season so far, Luiz comes out on top in many passes, which again can begin to tell the story of their slight decline in control games.
While Kamara is more inclined to pass forward after winning possession, Luiz has averaged more passes to the side and back, which may be better to balance alongside Tielemans, who often tries to break lines with forward passes.
Luiz is marked as one of the “underestimated” players in Paul Merson’s Premier League last season, playing a big part in their success and Champions League qualification. He brings a good ability to win duels, while being technical and composed on the ball under pressure.
The return of the Brazilian midfielder could bring the necessary balance – especially in the absence of Onana – alongside Tielemans, to bring more control in games, without losing the ability to win duels in central zones.
Villa have already scored plenty of goals and while Malen could make a strong impact, Luiz has already proven the difference he makes in Emery’s side. He would be a great addition.
