---
title: "Aston Villa: Noel Whelan reacts to Douglas Luiz update"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/noel-whelan-douglas-luiz-contract-transfer-interest/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Charlie Smith"
section: "Aston Villa"
published: "2022-02-01T19:04:10Z"
modified: "2022-02-01T19:04:10Z"
---

# Aston Villa: Noel Whelan reacts to Douglas Luiz update

**Football pundit Noel Whelan has been reacting to an update regarding Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz, as per [Football Insider](https://www.footballinsider247.com/douglas-luiz-aston-villa-have-finances-in-place-for-new-deal-after-journalists-update-pundit/).**

### The Lowdown: Ornstein’s late-night news

The Brazil international was the subject of late interest in the January transfer window, with [David Ornstein](https://twitter.com/David_Ornstein/status/1488277271190196226) revealing on Monday evening that the club turned down three separate offers for the 23-year-old.

\[freshpress-poll id=”385711″\]

The most recent of those came on deadline day, with the likes of [Arsenal](https://twitter.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1486705531628576769), [Everton](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/aston-villa-transfer-rumours/aston-villa-fans-react-to-evertons-douglas-luiz-interest/) and [Tottenham](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-10452657/Tottenham-PANICKING-turning-deal-Juventus-bit-star-Dejan-Kulusevski.html) all linked with the midfielder.

As we know, Luiz remained a Villa player past the deadline, with [Ornstein](https://twitter.com/David_Ornstein/status/1488277271190196226) adding that Villa now want to secure him to a new deal, with his current contract set to expire in [June 2023](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/douglas-luiz/profil/spieler/447661).

### The Latest: Whelan’s comments

Whelan, who regularly contributes as a pundit for the [BBC](https://icdb.tv/stats/4247/Noel-Whelan), was talking to [Football Insider](https://www.footballinsider247.com/douglas-luiz-aston-villa-have-finances-in-place-for-new-deal-after-journalists-update-pundit/) regarding the update on Luiz. He believes that Villa have ‘the finances in place’ for a new contract and seemed to be all for a new deal, saying:

> “Look, it’s all about performances and consistency. That’s when you earn the amount of money that you might be getting on a new contract.
>
> “If you’re not playing regularly, then you don’t really have a leg to stand on.
>
> “Douglas Luiz, 18 months, he has been consistently in the side and put in some great performances.
>
> “They’ve got money, they’ve got all the finances in place and he’s been a player for them that has played continuously.
>
> “If you’re going to be a top club playing at the top end of the league, you’ve got to have the squad that can handle that.”

\[freshpress-quiz id=”375426″\]

### The Verdict: Needed

Villa [didn’t add to their midfield ranks](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/aston-villa/transfers/verein/405/plus/?saison_id=2021&pos=&detailpos=&w_s=w) last month despite showing an interest in [Yves Bissouma](https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/aston-villa-transfer-news-bissouma-22927210) and [Rodrigo Bentancur](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-10440359/Aston-Villa-remain-hopeful-signing-Juventus-midfielder-Rodrigo-Bentancur.html), so a new contract for Luiz is crucial.

He has been a [regular](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/douglas-luiz/leistungsdaten/spieler/447661) under Steven Gerrard, so failing to tie him down to a new deal before the summer will only add fuel to the fire over a possible departure when he enters the last 12 months of his contract.

Luiz has actually been the club’s second-best Premier League performer among players to have made more than three appearances, as per [WhoScored](https://www.whoscored.com/Teams/24/Show/England-Aston-Villa), which just underlines his importance to the team, and the importance of securing his future without delay amid widespread interest in him.

***In other news: [‘Hats off to the board’ – Sky Sports pundit purrs at ‘amazing’ out-of-the-blue Villa transfer news](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/aston-villa-news/kevin-phillip-praise-villa-callum-chambers-signing/)***