Kieran Gibbs suggests Arsenal should pursue Aston Villa’s Douglas Luiz in the transfer market. With the January transfer window open, speculations abound, particularly regarding Arsenal’s potential moves. Mikel Arteta’s team has faced setbacks during the festive period, suffering defeats against West Ham United and Fulham, which has intensified the desire among fans for a new striker to address their goal-scoring struggles.

However, former Arsenal left-back Kieran Gibbs believes that strengthening the midfield should be the priority for the team. He sees Douglas Luiz as a viable option and expressed this opinion to ESPN. The main obstacle for Arsenal would be the high price tag associated with Luiz, who is considered Aston Villa’s best and most important player. Additionally, Villa’s current strong position in the Premier League table under Unai Emery could complicate any potential deal.

Gibbs proposed the possibility of a “swap deal” to overcome the financial barrier, mentioning the names of Eddie Nketiah and Emile Smith Rowe as potential players to be included in the negotiation.

Regarding the potential signing of Douglas Luiz, Gibbs stated, “For me, if you’re not going to get a striker and go all out offensively and just try to blоw teams away, then you need to shore up the midfield and just try to shut up shop. They have kept one clean sheet in the last seven. That’s not the Arsenal we have seen over the last 18 months. It’s probably best to go and get someone like a Douglas Luiz.”

While Arsenal may face challenges in acquiring Luiz due to Villa’s strong position and the player’s long-term contract until 2026, the transfer market is unpredictable, and every player has a price. Aston Villa has previously demonstrated their willingness to sell players at the right price, as seen with Jack Grealish’s move to Manchester City. However, it would require a significant financial offer to tempt Villa into parting ways with Luiz, especially as they aspire to qualify for the Champions League.