Ex-Aston Villa defender Alan Hutton doesn’t believe Douglas Luiz has the ability to hold down a first-team place at Manchester City.
Speaking to Casino Scout, Hutton said that the Brazilian international could fill in for the injured Rodri but he may not be a long-term solution:
“I think Douglas Luiz would be a good signing for Man City. I don’t think he’d be the go-to guy for years to come, I can’t see him playing week in, week out, especially when Rodri gets back, but for now, as a squad player, I think he’s a good option.”
“He did very well at Aston Villa. In that situation, he was in defensive midfield. He likes to play the ball forward. His deliveries from set-plays were very good.”
“I don’t know why it’s not worked at Juventus. For whatever reason it’s not quite happened. For Manchester City, maybe they need to fill a void. For him, it would be a very good move, but I’m not sure he’ll be a regular starter for them.”
City are keen on signing Luiz on loan
Trusted journalist David Ornstein revealed the Premier League champions’ interest in the 26-year-old last week.
However, it is believed that the Cityzens are hoping to loan Luiz for the rest of the season, rather than sign him on a permanent basis. That suggests the club agree with Hutton that he would only be a short-term fix for the midfield.
Juventus are not believed to be interested in loaning out the midfielder, with a sale or a loan with a mandatory option to buy being their preference.
There will be competition from other clubs
Arsenal did try hard to sign Luiz from Aston Villa a couple of years ago, but the Gunners may not be City’s main rival for the Brazilian.
Reports in the Italian media in recent days have suggested that Chelsea could enter the race, with the club currently lacking options in the middle of the park.
Find out who is in Manchester City’s first-team squad for the 2024/2025 season here
