Aston Villa look to sell Douglas Luiz in order to buy Leeds United star Kalvin Phillips
Aston Villa are set to sell midfielder Douglas Luiz in the summer to clear space for Leeds United star Kalvin Phillips, according to the Daily Mail.
Villans manager Steven Gerrard has reportedly made a holding midfielder his priority, and the Whites’ England star is known to be a prime target.
The Birmingham side have spent heavily this season and The Mail says billionaire owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens will back their manager again in a bid to “bridge the gap to the Premier League elite”.
Brazilian Luiz has featured 25 times in the league this season, including 18 appearances since Gerrard arrived from Rangers, but is set to be the odd man out as the former Liverpool captain looks to strengthen his midfield.
While The Mail report says that Villa expect a deal for Phillips to be “complicated”, it was recently reported by The Times that they were prepared to offer £60million and an “enormous salary” to make it happen.
Contract crucial
Talk keeps heating up around major money taking the 26-year-old away from Elland Road.
It isn’t going to stop unless the club get the new contract he reportedly wants signed and sealed.
An improved deal has been in the offing since at least the end of the January transfer window, after an offer from West Ham was reportedly turned down.
But as of yet there has been nothing official in terms of securing the boyhood United fan’s future at the club.
The relegation battle has understandably taken centre stage, and the upheaval of changing managers was a big focus.
But while talks have been taking place with the Whites’ other star man tipped for a big-money transfer, Raphinha, there doesn’t seem to have been the same level of activity with Phillips.
It should be far more straightforward, with the player expected to be happy to stay on the right terms.
So Victor Orta needs to get it sewn up as a priority to head off the risk of a massive offer turning his head in the summer.
In other Leeds United news, an ex-Whites hero has blasted two of the club’s current crop as he expects activity in the summer.