Lange closing in on deal for “outstanding” talent, it'd be Villa's most important yet - opinion

Aston Villa are hoping to tie down Douglas Luiz after initial struggles over a new contract.

That’s according to The Telegraph, who claim that the club has opened contract talks with the player.

Since signing from Manchester City in 2018 he has impressed at Villa Park, and the club are hopeful of striking an agreement.

This will come as welcome news to Villa supporters, as the club reportedly rejected three offers for the Brazilian in January. This new contract will help to finally put any transfer speculation to bed.

Although Steven Gerrard has been desperate to improve his Aston Villa squad in his first summer transfer window, to truly build upon a season a side must retain their prized assets.

One such asset is Douglas Luiz, who has impressed since he first signed for the Villains.

He has offered a dependable pair of legs beside the brawn of John McGinn in midfield, adding a Brazilian flair with a dependable workmanlike behaviour that had served Dean Smith so well over his tenure.

The 24-year-old featured 34 times in the Premier League last season for Villa, contributing to five goals along the way. Despite being linked with a move away from Villa Park he was still integral to their side.

It is therefore unsurprising to see his 6.89 average SofaScore rating rank him in the top ten amongst his teammates.

He is a consistent performer that underpins a hardworking core at Villa, and keeping him at the club alongside the new talent added will be imperative for any future success.

He does not excel in one specific area, as neither his offensive nor defensive output is anything of note. However, his all-around performances are what led Martin Lawrence to dub him “outstanding”.

Lawrence continued by claiming that Luiz “will