Jose Mourinho could do Steven Gerrard huge transfer favour after €35m Aston Villa links

Roma could be moving on from their interest in Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz, according to reports.

The Italian giants have been linked with an interest in the Brazilian international for most of the summer. Reports in Italy claim that Jose Mourinho has been a long-term admirer of the 24-year-old whose future looks uncertain due to him having just one year left on his deal at Villa Park.

It is said that Villa were demanding a fee of around €30-€35 million should they cash in on the player this summer. Should they not sell, then the club would risk losing him for nothing in 12 months' time.

Gallery: The wonderkids potentially set to move in the summer transfer window (FourFourTwo)

More reports add that Luiz is at the top of Roma’s transfer list and that the player himself is open to a move away from Villa Park after the arrival of Boubacar Kamara. The French midfielder signed on a free transfer earlier this summer and increases competition in the midfield area of Steven Gerrard ’s squad.

However, it now seems that Roma could be lining up an alternative with Italian outlet Il Tempo (via RomaPress ) claiming that former Chelsea loanee Saul is a possible alternative. The report says that Roma’s general manager Tiago Pinto has held talks with the player’s representatives over a possible move.

Saul spent last season on loan with Chelsea from Sevilla but played just 10 times in the Premier League in the 2021/22 season. He is likely to leave the Spanish club again this summer, either on loan or in a permanent deal.

Mourinho has already moved to strengthen his midfield options in the transfer window, signing former player Nemanja Matic on a free transfer after the expiry of his contract at Manchester United.