Levy readying Spurs move for “clever” £26m-rated gem, he could be Ange’s own Guimaraes – opinion
The reported Tottenham target seemingly shares a number of statistical similarities to his fellow countryman
Tottenham Hotspur are believed to be in the race to sign Aston Villa midfielder, Douglas Luiz, with manager Ange Postecoglou seeking to make further moves this month before the close of the window.
What’s the latest on Luiz to Tottenham?
According to Football Insider, the Lilywhites – as well as bitter rivals Arsenal – are potentially set to go head to head in order to prise the Brazilian from Villa Park, with the Gunners having notably failed with a late move for the ex-Manchester City asset last summer.
The report suggests that if the Midlands side are to snap up Tyler Adams from Leeds United it could open the door for Luiz to depart, despite the fact that the 25-year-old only signed a new long-term deal with his current side back in October.
While the piece does not mention what it would take for Daniel Levy to be able to secure the signing of the 5 foot 9 maestro, the in-demand ace has been valued at around €30m (£26m) by CIES Football Observatory.
How good is Douglas Luiz?
This interest in the one-time Girona loanee has come amid reports that Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg is in line to join La Liga side, Atletico Madrid, with that potential exit ensuring that Postecoglou will be in need of reinforcements in the centre of the park.
If the north Londoners can beat Mikel Arteta’s side to the signing of Luiz, the Rio-born machine could prove to be a truly astute capture, having been hailed as a “guy who’s clever with the ball” and “so physically strong” by City boss Pep Guardiola.
The nine-cap Brazil international would also represent a worthy addition such is his apparent likeness to his compatriot and Newcastle United talisman, Bruno Guimaraes, with the pair said to share a number of stylistic and statistical similarities, according to FBref.
The duo are notably alike due to their ability to provide a creative, playmaking presence from their deep-lying midfield berths, with Luiz ranking in the top 14% among those in his position in Europe’s top five leagues for assists, while Guimaraes ranks in the top 18% in that regard.
The pair also enjoyed a similar record with regard to goal contributions last season, with the Villa man scoring six goals and providing six assists from his 37 Premier League outings, while Guimaraes scored five goals and registered four assists from his 32 top-flight appearances.
Not only are the international colleagues alike in an attacking sense but they can both also provide an effective screen in front of the back four, with Luiz racking up 73 tackles and 40 interceptions, while Guimaraes recorded 78 tackles and contributed 36 interceptions.
To be compared to the Magpies ace is a real statement as Guimaraes has been something of a revelation since his arrival at St James’ Park from Lyon back in January 2022, having been dubbed “world class” by teammate Dan Burn.
Also dubbed a “really, really talented player” by Newcastle legend, Alan Shearer, the 25-year-old was instrumental in helping to guide Eddie Howe’s side to Champions League qualification last season, with the hope being that Luiz can enjoy similar success if he is to trade the Villans for Spurs this summer.
Although Levy has already backed Postecoglou by bringing in eight summer signings so far, it could be time to get the chequebook out yet again…
