Frank McAvennie believes Douglas Luiz could leave Aston Villa for a cut-price fee in the January transfer window after Arsenal failed to sign him in the summer.
The Gunners tabled three bids on deadline day, the last of which was £25 million.
However, Villa was serious about keeping him, and they turned them all down.
The Brazilian has a deal that expires at the end of the term, and it doesn’t seem he would sign an extension, but the Villans stood firm.
He could now walk away as a free agent in the summer, but Villa might try to recoup some money by selling him in January.
McAvennie believes that would make them accept an offer more than 50% less than what Arsenal wanted to pay earlier at £10 million.
He tells Football Insider:
“If he wants to leave in January, Steven Gerrard will have to tell him they’re dropping the price to £10million or £15m and if he says yes he’ll leave and if he says no he’ll stay until the summer.
“I don’t think players need to money nowadays the way they used to. So Gerrard can talk to him and ask him if he wants to see out his contract or get a bit of money for the club. If he’s got any decency he’ll get some money for the club.”
Just Arsenal Opinion
Luiz wanted to join us, and he will unlikely sign an extension at Villa Park.
Because other clubs also want to sign him, it is probably smart for us to move for him in January before a rival does.