Arsenal: Edu 'did everything' to sign £52k-a-week star at the Emirates

Arsenal could not have done any more to sign Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz on deadline day, claims transfer insider Dean Jones.

The north London club made more than one bid for the £52,000-a-week Brazilian at the end of the summer window but were unable to conclude a deal.

As per Sky Sports, Luiz was the subject of three bids from Arsenal on deadline day, with the last one being worth £25m.

The 24-year-old will now have to wait until January for another opportunity to join the Gunners. Manager Steven Gerrard, though, does not expect any sulking after he was denied a move to the Emirates and is confident he will get on with things.

“I have confidence that he’ll understand the situation and the club’s decision that we didn’t want to lose a very important player and a top player so late in the window,” the Villans boss recently said (via talkSPORT).

“From a personal point of view I very much back the club’s decision and stance on that.”

Jones has told GIVEMESPORT that Mikel Arteta and Edu did everything they could to sign Luiz but, in the end, just could not convince Villa to part ways with him.

Speaking to GMS, the journalist said: “With Douglas Luiz, they couldn’t have really done much more. They were in touch with Villa all day on deadline day and they just couldn’t convince them to sell.”

You cannot rule it out. He has less than 12 months remaining on his contract, so Arsenal may have the chance to pick him up for a low fee in January or for nothing next summer.

All in all, in the new year, the Gunners could be about to land an absolute bargain.

Luiz brings a lot to the table: Premier League experience and flexibility in midfield. He can play as a holder and in a more box-to-box role.

Speaking about Luiz towards