Douglas Luiz continues to excel for Aston Villa.

The midfielder has been at the heart of Unai Emery's revolution, helping his side into contention for a top-four berth — and potentially even a title challenge.

It is not surprising, then, that Luiz has been the subject of links to several top clubs, including Arsenal and Barcelona.

Ahead of this afternoon's clash with Everton, we assess the possibility of a January move and reflect on the Brazilian's importance to Villa.

Villa's MVP

Luiz has been one of the Premier League's most consistent performers this season.

He makes Aston Villa tick in midfield, completing 1,007 passes with a commendable success rate of 88.49%.

As well as his quality in possession, the man Pep Guardiola once signed is vitally important off the ball.

After all, no Villa player has made more top-flight tackles (40) or won possession more times in midfield (43) than Luiz in 2023-24.

He has also contributed on the goalscoring front, netting six times — four of which have been penalties — and providing three assists.

In a recent interview with Sky Sports, he said: "I believe I am in the best moment of my career.

"The manager demands a lot from me and I believe he has helped me a lot as well. I am happier than ever to keep working and continue evolving."

Arsenal attention

Luiz has certainly made impressive strides forward since joining Villa in 2019.

He has improved year on year and is now established as one of the division's best midfielders.

But the 25-year-old is suddenly faced with a big decision amid interest from other clubs, with Villa potentially set to claim a Champions League spot this term.

Staying at a club on the up could bring plenty of rewards, though a move to one of Europe's heavyweights might still prove tempting.

Former Gunner Emmanuel Petit said: "If I was Douglas Luiz I'd be very excited to have an offer from Arsenal but I'd look at my current team-mates and say, 'We are second place in the table. What happens if we do something very special?'.

"We can imagine Aston Villa playing in the Champions League now. When you leave in the middle of a season, you have to be very careful.

"When you're playing at the best level with your current club, it's a very big risk to change and go to another club. I can understand it's very exciting to join Arsenal, but the timing, I don't think it's good for him."

Staying put

Remaining at Villa could well be the most viable option for Luiz in the short term.

The ambitious Villans are in a strong position — both on and off the field — and have no need to sell key players midway through the campaign.

Things may change in the summer when the biggest clubs typically spend more freely but for now, the Rio de Janeiro native is continuing to thrive at Villa Park.

Emery will hope he can rely on Luiz for a long time to come, starting with his side's trip to Goodison Park today.