Douglas Luiz: Villa’s Engine Room Revealed

Douglas Luiz has become the heartbeat of Aston Villa’s midfield since arriving from Manchester City in 2019, and a deep dive into his numbers shows why he is now among the Premier League’s most complete No. 8s.

Douglas Luiz season-by-season stats

The raw data paints a clear picture of progress. In his debut 2019-20 campaign Luiz logged 33 league appearances, contributing three goals, two assists, and an average of 1.8 tackles per 90 minutes. The 2020-21 season saw marginal attacking gains—two goals and three assists—but defensive output surged to 2.3 tackles and 1.4 interceptions per 90, underlining a growing influence out of possession.
By 2021-22 he had refined his passing range, completing 87 percent of his 1,683 league passes while ranking inside the division’s top ten for progressive passes among midfielders. The current 2023-24 season is his best yet: six league goals, five assists, and a 90 percent pass-completion rate. Luiz also leads Villa for shot-creating actions (3.6 per 90) and has doubled his key passes from open play compared with last year.

Advanced metrics highlight all-round growth

StatsBomb data shows Luiz averaging 7.8 defensive actions per match, while his expected assists (xA) sit at 0.22 per 90—both career highs. He is winning 58 percent of ground duels, a significant leap from 47 percent in 2020-21, and completes 1.6 successful dribbles per game, adding a press-resistant dimension to Villa’s build-up.

Douglas Luiz and Aston Villa’s tactical identity

Unai Emery entrusts Luiz with dual responsibility: shielding the back line and sparking vertical moves. His chemistry with Boubacar Kamara allows Villa to morph between 4-2-3-1 and 4-4-2 shapes, with Luiz frequently dropping between centre-backs to initiate play. A trademark clipped ball into the inside-right channel has become a key route to goal for Ollie Watkins. Crucially, Luiz’s set-piece deliveries have generated four of Villa’s 11 dead-ball goals this season.

Brazilian pedigree on the international stage

Although competition for midfield spots in the Brazil squad is fierce, Luiz has earned 11 senior caps and featured in the 2021 Copa América. Tite valued his press-resistance and quick distribution, traits that could see current coach Fernando Diniz recall him for the 2024 Copa América if club form continues.

Transfer outlook: interest from Europe’s elite

Arsenal and Juventus monitored Luiz last summer, and rumours persist that a £60 million bid could test Villa’s resolve. The player, under contract until 2026, has stated he is “focused on Villa,” but Champions League qualification could decide whether he stays in Birmingham or seeks a new challenge.

Competition breakdown

Premier League: 134 apps, 15 goals, 13 assists
FA Cup: 7 apps, 1 goal
Carabao Cup: 10 apps, 1 goal, 2 assists
UEFA Competition: 8 apps, 1 goal

Key strengths

• Ball progression: 5.4 progressive passes per 90
• Defensive intelligence: 2.1 interceptions, 1.9 blocks per 90
• Set-piece mastery: 0.18 expected goals assisted from corners per 90

Areas for improvement

• Aerial duels: wins only 41 percent, despite good leap
• Discipline: 29 bookings in four Premier League seasons
• Long-range shooting: 6.7 percent conversion from outside the box

Douglas Luiz in numbers: a quick reference

– 10,642 Premier League minutes since 2019
– 90 percent pass accuracy in 2023-24, career high
– 58 percent ground-duel success, up 11 percent on last season
– 3.6 shot-creating actions per 90, first among Villa midfielders

How Luiz compares to Premier League peers

When stacked against midfielders with 1,500+ minutes, Luiz ranks in the 85th percentile for progressive passes, 78th for tackles won, and 72nd for non-penalty expected goals. Only Rodri and Declan Rice boast a better combined tally of passes into the final third and successful pressures, illustrating Luiz’s elite two-way profile.

Role model and leadership

Luiz cites Fernandinho as a mentor from his Manchester City days, and those lessons show in his positional awareness. Now 25, he is part of Villa’s leadership group alongside Emi Martínez and John McGinn, often seen directing pressing triggers and orchestrating tempo switches.

Opinion: Why Douglas Luiz is vital to Villa’s European push

Aston Villa’s renaissance under Emery hinges on control: controlling space without the ball and controlling rhythm with it. Douglas Luiz supplies both. Strip away his contributions and Villa would lose their most reliable conduit between defence and attack as well as their primary set-piece architect. In a market where complete midfielders are rare and expensive, retaining Luiz could be the single most important piece of business Villa conduct this decade.