da jogodeouro： Douglas Luiz’s “just the start” admission is good news for Alisha Lehmann, with the Brazilian hinting at sticking around with Aston Villa.

da bet7： Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Midfielder linked with move elsewhereWorking on contract until 2026Feeling settled on & off the pitch at presentWHAT HAPPENED?

The South American midfielder has rekindled his relationship with fellow Villans star Lehmann away from the field. On the pitch, the 25-year-old has seen his stock soar after previously attracting interest from Premier League giants Arsenal.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

There have been suggestions that Luiz is registering on Barcelona’s recruitment radar, with Villa said to have slapped an £85 million ($108m) price tag on a player that they have tied to a contract through to 2026. Luiz has offered no indication that his head is being turned by renewed transfer talk.

WHAT LUIZ SAID

Luiz has told of his plans for the immediate future: “We’re all very happy with how this season is going, especially me, with all the history that the club is building and for my goals and assists, too. Personally, I’m very happy with it all and I think it’s just the start of a new chapter. As I always say, Aston Villa is a huge club and we’re prepared to write a new chapter. Since Unai [Emery] arrived there was a huge boost in the group’s confidence. I think he brought confidence to the team because we always had a good group of players. The squad is pretty much the same, only one or two players were bought in, so I think his work was important for the history that we’re writing.”

GettyWHAT NEXT FOR LUIZ?

Luiz has no need to look elsewhere, in a move that would take him from partner Lehmann, as Villa remain in the hunt for a top-four finish and Champions League qualification this season, while also making their way into the quarter-finals of the Europa Conference League – where they are set to face Lille.