Roma Set Their Sights on Aston Villa's Douglas Luiz

Like nearly everything else in modern life, football transfers are complex, intertwining affairs, with player movement affecting more than just the two clubs actually involved in the transaction. Case in point: Aston Villa's recent signing of French phenom Boubacar Kamara. A 22-year-old defensive midfielder, Kamara has been one of the most sought-after assets on the transfer market over the past 12 months. And while few among us expected Aston Villa to land such a heralded player, that shock signing could indirectly aid Roma's midfield makeover.

According to the Corriere dello Sport, with Villa suddenly bursting at the seams with midfielders, Roma could pounce for Douglas Luiz. A 24-year-old Brazilian midfielder. Luiz has been a mainstay for Aston Villa since arriving from Girona in La Liga ahead of the 2019-2020 season, making well over 100 appearances while scoring five goals and providing eight assists in all competitions.

Luiz has played various roles at Villa Park over the years, seeing time in a more traditional central midfield role, while even making a few spot appearances as an attacking midfielder. And while he's not a dyed-in-the-wool defensive midfielder, as Luiz's time at Villa progressed, he gradually became more accustomed to patrolling the deepest recesses of the midfield, making over two dozen appearances this season as a defensive midfielder.

In that light, he's bound to disappoint fans who have been dreaming of Granit Xhaka finally joining Mourinho in the capital or even those who have been waiting for Daniele De Rossi to invent some sort of youth serum, but Luiz is a lump of clay that Mourinho could easily mold into a combative presence at the backend of the Giallorossi midfield.

While he carries a rumored €35 million price point, the Corriere speculates that the combination of Kamara arriving and Luiz's contract expiring in 2023 could mean there is room for a bargain.

Stay tuned!