Romano: Arsenal see "perfect" £100m star as their dream signing, it'd be a Rice repeat - opinion

Mikel Arteta is leading his side on a title charge once again after they fell short at the final hurdle last season.

The Gunners’ recent 2-0 win over Brighton was their 12th victory of the season, and after 17 games, they lead the way in the Premier League.

Despite their dominance, Arsenal are desperate to add another quality midfielder to their ranks due to Thomas Partey’s availability issues this term.

Arsenal transfers latest – Douglas Luiz

Fabrizio Romano took to X on Wednesday evening to state that Douglas Luiz is still Arsenal’s favourite option for a midfielder, with the Gunners viewing him as the “perfect” player.

douglas-luiz-aston-villa-premier-league

Aston Villa value the Brazilian at £100m plus according to other reports and they are not willing to let him go in January, even if a large offer arrives.

This is due to his importance to Unai Emery’s side and the impact his potential departure could have on their season.

How Douglas Luiz compares to Declan Rice

Luiz has become a key player for Aston Villa since the arrival of Emery, and the 25-year-old has featured in every Premier League game this season bar last week due to suspension.

The ex-Man City star's potential move to the Emirates has shades of the Declan Rice transfer in the summer. Of course, it would see a top defensive-minded midfielder moving to Arsenal from another Premier League club for a potential fee of over £100m. Only last summer did we see Rice exit West Ham for a price in the same region.

douglas-luiz-aston-villa-transfer-gossip-arsenal-edu-arteta-emi-martinez-aston-villa

Rice and Luiz happen to be two of the finest defensive midfielders that the Premier League has to offer, but how do they compare based on statistics from this Premier League campaign? Well, in a few other areas they're closely matched.

Luiz vs Rice stats

Stats (per 90)

Luiz

Rice

Passes completed

56.16

60.96

Touches

75.16

76.67

Shot-creating actions

3.97

1.96

Tackles

2.34

2.14

Interceptions

0.65

1.65

Stats via FBref

Firstly, it is clear that both players have immense technical quality, often controlling the tempo for their side via passing; they complete a similar number per game. The duo both boast a wide passing range, which helps particularly in the build-up phase of play.

However, the main difference is that Luiz is much more of a deep-lying playmaker who can create chances for those ahead of him, as shown by the number of shot-creating actions. Whereas Rice takes fewer risks on the ball and ensures that overturns of possession don’t occur, retaining possession and control for his side.

This could potentially be due to the position and role they play in their team. For example, the Brazilian features in a double pivot, and the England star plays as a lone defensive midfielder. The ex-Girona man is also on all set pieces, and he is a master of an inswinging cross.