Douglas Luiz: Aston Villa star told to avoid "big-risk" Arsenal move

Luiz has emerged as a priority target for the Gunners as Mikel Arteta aims to bolster his side’s midfield line.

Former Arsenal player Emmanuel Petit has advised Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz against making a “big-risk” move to Arsenal in the January transfer window.

Arsenal, led by manager Mikel Arteta, has targeted Luiz as a key addition to the squad, with Villa reportedly valuing the Brazilian at £100 million. However, Petit, who achieved league and cup success with Arsenal in 1998, has raised concerns about the potential transfer.

Speaking to Compare.bet, Petit said: “If I was Douglas Luiz I’d be very excited to have an offer from Arsenal, but I’d think straight away, I’d look at my current teammates and say, ‘we are second place in the table and only one point off Arsenal. What happens if we do something very special?’

“We can imagine Aston Villa playing in the Champions League now. When you leave in the middle of a season, you have to be very careful.

“When you’re playing at the best level with your current club, it’s a very big risk to change and go to another club. I can understand it’s very exciting to join Arsenal, but the timing, I don’t think it’s good for him.”

After reclaiming the Premeir League’s top spot with a narrow victory over Wolves, Arsenal return to action with a crucial match against Liverpool this weekend.