The club from the Midlands may be forced to find a replacement for Douglas Luiz.
According to a reliable journalist, if Aston Villa lose Douglas Luiz in January, they may decide to make a move for a new central talisman.
Arsenal’s pursuit of Douglas Luiz
NSWE, Monchi, and Unai Emery will be aware that Arsenal have long admired Luiz, but he has also piqued the interest of Manchester City and Liverpool ahead of the upcoming transfer window.
According to the same outlet, the Midlands outfit are adamant that they will not entertain offers from any of his potential suitors, regardless of size, in the new year, but if they receive a bid they can’t refuse, they will have to enter the market to find a suitable replacement.
Kalvin Phillips, a defensive midfielder for Manchester City, joined Pep Guardiola’s side from Leeds United last summer, but it’s fair to say he’s remained far down the pecking order during his time at the Etihad Stadium.
The England international has made zero Premier League starts and four substitute appearances this season (WhoScored – Philips statistics), demonstrating how out of favor he is, and the 27-year-old’s situation has alerted chiefs that he could be available for transfer in January.
Aston Villa are keeping an eye on Kalvin Phillips.
According to Neil Moxley of GiveMeSport, Aston Villa could sign Phillips if they sell Luiz, but his arrival could force the manager to change his style of play slightly.
“I believe they would. The only slight disadvantage would be that Emery would almost certainly be playing with a defensive two in front of his back four, which he does with Luiz and Boubacar Kamara at the moment, but Luiz is allowed to move a little bit further forward.
“As we all know, Phillips is a defensive midfielder who gets and gives the ball from side to side and rarely ventures forward.” His defensive abilities have landed him a move to Manchester City.
“Do I think it’s a natural fit?” If Phillips was to join Aston Villa, the team’s tactics might need to be tweaked.”
Phillips is the “Rolls Royce” in the middle.
Phillips ranks in the 99th percentile for pass completion by midfielders over the last 365 days, indicating that he is extremely calm and composed in possession, while also ranking in the 95th percentile for clearances, demonstrating that he isn’t afraid to get stuck in and clear the danger before it reaches his backline (FBRef – Phillips statistics).
Guardiola, who earns £150,000 per week (Man City salaries), is capable of playing three positions in midfield as well as a centre-back at the heart of the defense, so his versatility means he would be able to easily adapt to Emery’s demands.
The “Rolls Royce” England international, as journalist Josh Bunting dubbed him, even has the same agent, CAA Stellar, as Ezri Konsa and Bertrand Traore (Aston Villa agents), so this existing connection that his management already has to the club could give the board a small advantage if they try to get a deal done in January.
