The genius Arsenal and Aston Villa swap deal that could work wonders for both clubs

Arsenal fans will no doubt be feeling frustrated looking at the current Premier League table. After surrendering their impressive lead and the eventual title to Manchester City last season, the Gunners have once again thrown their hat into the ring to take the crown. But much to their frustrations, they have more than just the reigning champions to fend off this time round.

Liverpool currently lead the pack with 45 points but City have made up some serious ground and have elbowed their way into second place. Tottenham Hotspur are pushing Arsenal all the way so far, as the two North London rivals are tied on 40 points each, with the Gunners only ahead on goal difference. Dark horses Aston Villa cannot be ignored either as Unai Emery's side currently sit third in the table, level with City and two points behind Liverpool.

Now we're into the second half of the season, the pressure is waiting to hit. The top five teams will swap and change and the five points between them will start to close as they all scramble for glory. At the halfway mark of the January transfer window, rumours are ramping up as these clubs consider new recruits to give them the best possible chance at winning the league or at least finishing in the top four.

Arsenal had a busy summer and splashed the cash on bringing marquee signings Declan Rice and Kai Havertz to the Emirates. They also offloaded a number of senior players, including Granit Xhaka and Rob Holding. Since the summer, Mikel Arteta and his side have acknowledged the need to cash in some high profile names still at the club in order to raise additional funds to spend on new recruits.

The North Londoners have been linked to a number of names in the lead up to the winter window but one man sticks out more than most. Aston Villa's Douglas Luiz has been a prime target of Arsenal's for some time now and they remain keen on bringing him in. However, they aren't alone in their interest and Villa are well aware of how much their Brazilian midfielder is turning heads.

Arsenal almost haven't helped themselves either, as their £105 million purchase of Rice, along with Moisés Caicedo's eye-watering £115 million move to Chelsea has very much set the benchmark for the value of midfielders in today's market. Following these blockbuster signings, Villa reportedly want in the region of £100 million for Luiz.

Now it's hardly surprising that a club who do not want to give up one of their key players has slapped a mammoth price tag on him in attempt to scare off their closest league rivals. However, there could be a way around this nine-figure roadblock.

Villa are reportedly on the market for a new striker as they look to strengthen their attack which relies rather heavily on Ollie Watkins. The England international has started every single Premier League match so far this season and has contributed 14 goals and 10 assists across all competitions. Their only back-up to Watkins is Jhon Durán, so the Villans are eager to bring in reinforcements, and this is where Arsenal could come in.

As mentioned before, the Gunners are looking to cash in on some senior players in order to free up room and funds. In recent weeks, it has been reported that Arteta and co have made the tough decision to place Eddie Nketiah on the transfer list and are looking to move him on during this window.

The 24-year-old has fallen out of favour with Gabriel Jesus back from his injury and taking centre stage again. However, Nketiah has produced some game-changing performances over the last couple of seasons and has been known to make a big impact from off the bench, which is something Villa could really benefit from.

While the Villans may be tempted by the offer of a player like Nketiah, it will still take a lot to convince them to part ways with Luiz. It almost certainly won't happen this month anyway, with recent reports stating as such almost as fact, but it doesn't stop deals from being explored ahead of the summer.

Arsenal would definitely need to offer up a healthy wad of cash — and that is probably what Villa will be most interested in — but the thrown-in addition of Nketiah could sweeten the deal. Bringing in a new striker will ease the pressure on Watkins and as a player who is more than comfortable in the Premier League, the Arsenal star will fit right in.

Of course, this is simply an opinion based on two title-challenging clubs who are in need of something the other one can offer. Will such a deal be tabled? Highly unlikely, but the transfer window is all about speculation and player swaps have got to be up there with the most exciting topics to ponder.