Premier League rivals will find it 'hard' to sign £48m-rated Aston Villa star in January

Aston Villa have hit the ground running against this season after their impressive run last campaign. Unai Emery's side are pushing once against for European football but they will be hoping for a higher finish than seventh. Right now, they are fifth in the Premier League, just three points off leaders Manchester City.

Like the rest of the league, Villa will be looking to strengthen their squad to guarantee their strongest possible finish. Here's a look at some of the latest transfer rumours surrounding the Villans.

Villa star will be 'hard' to sign

It's no secret that Douglas Luiz has been on Arsenal's radar for some time and Mikel Arteta is now stepping up his interest in bolstering his midfield next year. The Gunners are hoping to recruit new personnel sooner rather than later and Fabrizio Romano has provided an update on their pursuit of Luiz.

Writing in his latest Daily Briefing column, the transfer expert has reported that Luiz is now Arsenal's 'number one target' in their mission to revamp their midfield.

It has been made clear that Villa are not in a position to part ways with their Brazilian star, especially halfway through a season. Fortunately, Romano has also stated that it 'will be hard' for Arsenal to agree any sort of deal with their Premier League rivals in January.

Luiz has established himself a key player under Emery. He is currently valued at €55 million (£48m) by Transfermarkt and has three years left on his current contract.

Fulham have 'contacted' Villa target

Aston Villa have been monitoring Sporting CP's rising star Geny Catamo but they now face heavy competition if they are serious about bringing him to the Premier League. According to Portuguese outlet O Jogo, Villa's rivals Fulham have been closely watching the winger and have 'recently contacted' the relevant parties to 'evaluate the possibility' of signing him.

The Cottagers have been in talks with Catamo's former club, as they own 75 percent of the player's rights. However, the Liga 3 outfit will not make a decision on his future, meaning the responsibility lies with Sporting.