ARSENAL and Liverpool are both reportedly interested in signing Douglas Luiz.

 Both the Gunners and Liverpool are in the market for a midfielder before the 11pm transfer deadline. Arsenal are without Thomas Partey and Mohamed Elneny due to injury, while Jordan Henderson suffered a hamstring issue in Wednesday's dramatic late 2-1 win over Newcastle at Anfield.

Luiz has entered the final year of his contract at Villa Park, so could be available for a cut-price fee. Villa boss Steven Gerrard could not rule out the 24-year-old's departure after the 2-1 loss at Arsenal.

And Brazil football reporter Matheus Leal says there is set to be a race for Luiz's signature. He claims Arsenal have started negotiations with the midfielder and Edu's Brazilian connections could play a big part in the deal.

Arteta's attention on the potential move has also 'seduced' Luiz. This comes after Leal claimed Liverpool had an offer of £20million turned down by Villa.

Luiz is open to leaving Villa and joining Liverpool. But Arsenal's interest is certainly set to create deadline day drama.

Luiz came off the bench to score for Villa in the 2-1 loss to the Gunners on Wednesday. For the second time in just over a week, he scored directly from a corner to equalise for Gerrard's side.

Speaking after the game, Gerrard insisted he had no control over the midfielder's future. He said: "I'm not in control of that. There's two people, well, there's more than two people who are in control of that, but I'm certainly not one of them.

Mikel Arteta would 'welcome' deadline day Arsenal signing

"That will be Douglas, that will be his agent and that will be what happens around that. I'd like to keep him, he's a fantastic player, I've made that abundantly clear.

"We are not in position where we need to lose our top players, but at the same time Douglas has a year to go and it is one of them really touchy situations where the club has to do what is best for the club, not necessarily what is best for me."

Both Arsenal boss Arteta and Liverpool manager Klopp confirmed to the media after their respective 2-1 wins that the club will try to do business before the window shuts this evening.