‘He is not a top player’ – Dwight Yorke blasts Arsenal transfer target

Former Manchester United forward Dwight Yorke has claimed Aston Villa’s Douglas Luiz is not creative enough to warrant a big move.

Arsenal had a number of offers for the midfielder – which included a £25 million bid – but Villa rejected it in the final minutes of the transfer window last summer.

The Gunners did not reignite their interest in Luiz in January and opted to sign Jorginho from Chelsea in a £12 million deal.

While discussing the failed Arsenal bids, Yorke questioned whether the Brazilian is a top player to improve Arsenal.

"Douglas Luiz is a player I have watched closely at Aston Villa, and I’m not quite sure what his strengths are," the 51-year-old said.

"What does he actually do? He’s very steady in midfield, but I don’t understand the hype from the summer when Arsenal nearly signed him.

"Luiz is not creative enough to sit in the midfield. He plays a crucial role at Villa, but you have to do more to warrant a big move.

"I don’t think he’s a top-four player, but he’s acceptable for Villa."

However, the Brazilian recently said he does not regret that his move to Arsenal – currently leading the Premier League race with an eight-point gap – failed.

"No regrets," Luiz said. "I’m happy for Arsenal, they’re a big team and they’re doing really well."

After the failed transfer, Luiz later signed a new four-year deal on improved terms with Villa in October.

He is enjoying his best season with Villa, as he has scored four goals and assisted five in his 31 matches. This is his fourth campaign in the English top flight.