"You can swap players" – Kieran Gibbs urges Arsenal to pull off exchange deal to sign 'world-class' star from Premier League rivals

Ex-Arsenal defender Kieran Gibbs has urged his former team to lure Douglas Luiz away from Aston Villa in an exchange deal in the ongoing winter transfer window.

Over the past couple of months, Luiz has reportedly re-emerged as a top target for the Gunners. Due to the recent links, Aston Villa have slapped a £110 million price tag on the player, as per Football Transfers.

However, Arsenal are believed to be not interested in dishing out such a significant sum to sign the Brazilian midfielder. They are willing to offer £60 million, while Villa could reportedly settle for a £80 million fee.

Speaking to ESPN FC, Gibbs claimed that the Gunners should continue to pursue Luiz as a target despite his hefty asking price. Suggesting an exchange deal in the January window, he said (h/t SPORTbible):

"It's probably the best idea to go and get someone like Douglas Luiz. You can swap players, there are deals to be done there for sure. There's Emile Smith Rowe, there's Eddie [Nketiah], there's deals to be done there in this window."

Gibbs, who represented Arsenal 229 times during his career, added:

"If I was to do anything, I'd probably shore up the midfield and hope that in the second half of the season [Bukayo] Saka, [Gabriel] Martinelli and [Martin] Odegaard come alive."

Luiz, who has been labelled 'world-class' by John McGinn of late, is in brilliant form for Aston Villa this campaign. The 25-year-old has contributed seven goals and five assists in 28 overall appearances so far.

Since leaving Manchester City for around £15 million in 2019, Luiz has bagged 19 goals and laid out as many assists in 179 matches for Villa.

Arsenal prepared to offload two midfielders

According to Football Insider, Arsenal are hoping to make room for new arrivals by selling a few stars this winter. As a result, they have identified both Thomas Partey and Jorginho as potential future outgoings.

Should the Gunners permanently part ways with the aforesaid pair, they would free up £16 million from their annual wage bill. They are aiming to reinvest the sum in a new midfielder and a proven striker.

Partey, 30, has dropped down in the club's pecking order due to a hamstring injury this campaign. The Ghanian has scored five goals and provided four assists in 104 matches for the north London outfit.

Jorginho, on the other hand, has failed to emerge as a key starter for Arsenal since arriving from Chelsea for £12 million in January 2023. The 32-year-old has bagged one goal in 34 overall outings for his team.