Aston Villa are braced for interest in Douglas Luiz next month but are ready to fend off any bids for their star midfielder in mid-season.

Luiz has been one of the best performers in the division this term and was influential again last Saturday as Villa defeated Arsenal, who had three offers for Luiz turned down in summer 2022. 

Villa’s 1-0 victory means they are two points off leaders Liverpool after they also defeated Manchester City by the same scoreline last week.

Since Arsenal’s failed attempts to sign Luiz, his fellow central midfielders Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo and Declan Rice have all been transferred for more than £100m, while Luiz also signed a new long-term deal with Villa in October 2022. 

Douglas Luiz has been one of the star performers in the Premier League so far this season

Unai Emery’s side value him to be worth more than four times the amount which Arsenal bidded for him in the summer of 2022

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Luiz has performed as impressively as Rice has for Arsenal, and has been more effective than Chelsea pair Fernandez and Caicedo. 

It is also understood that there is no specific release clause in that contract, which would leave Villa powerless to keep Luiz if a certain fee were offered.

Speaking about the interest earlier this month, Luiz said: ‘I am very happy to hear the stories but I am here at Aston Villa. My focus is totally here. 

‘I don’t spend a lot of time looking at the stories. I see them, but I don’t focus on that and I’m not looking at it every day. My head is here at Aston Villa.’