Liverpool eyeing £80M defensive midfield signing "better than Declan Rice"

Liverpool are eyeing a summer transfer to sign Douglas Luiz which could cost as much as £80 million.

Described as being "better than Declan Rice" in the no.6 role, the 25-year-old is one of the best defensive midfielders in the world this season.

That's no over-exaggeration either.

His form this season has been vital to Aston Villa's title challenge and is now attracting a lot of attention.

Liverpool are chief among the interested sides as they seek a replacement for Fabinho after failing to replace him with Moises Caicedo in the summer.

One Brazilian no.6 for another?

That could be the way Liverpool are headed.

Liverpool eyeing summer move to sign Douglas Luiz

An exciting report from Football Insider has brought fresh news on Liverpool's hopes of signing Aston Villa defensive midfielder Douglas Luiz in the summer.

The Brazilian is a top player and Liverpool are said to be eyeing a move to bring him to Anfield to add extra class to their midfield following the summer rebuild that saw Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Endo and Ryan Gravenberch join the club.

Luiz represents a top target in the no.6 department as his performances for Villa this season have greatly contributed to their surprise title challenge.

They may not be taken seriously as title candidates yet they remain just two points behind leaders Liverpool and without Luiz acting as the fulcrum in midfield, they likely wouldn't be as high up the Premier League table as they are.

With Luiz in Jurgen Klopp's engine room, their other midfielders would be free to bomb forward with far more protection than Wataru Endo is capable of. The 30-year-old has done a fine job since being given the defensive midfield position but he's not a world class no.6.

Luiz looks on the cusp of becoming one of the best play-breakers in Europe and it would be very typical of Liverpool to snap him up just as he enters his prime.