Douglas Luiz Fallout at Juventus Opens Door to Premier League Return

Douglas Luiz’s time at Juventus has quickly turned sour, and the Brazilian midfielder is now pushing hard for a move back to the Premier League after a frustrating debut season in Italy.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Luiz’s agent flew into Italy this week to assess the situation and meet with potential clubs, with the 27-year-old reportedly “desperate” to secure an exit from Turin after his relationship with the club hit rock bottom. Luiz joined Juventus from Aston Villa last summer in a high-profile €50 million transfer and was expected to bring energy and quality to the Bianconeri’s midfield. But the move hasn’t gone to plan. He made just 19 Serie A appearances during the 2024–25 campaign — and only three of those were starts. His limited game time has been a major source of frustration, particularly after being such a key figure at Villa Park. 

Things went from bad to worse at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. Juventus made it to the knockout stages, but Luiz only featured once — a second-half cameo in a routine 5-0 group stage win over Al-Ain. The lack of involvement in big matches sent a clear message about his standing in the squad. However, tensions boiled over this week when Luiz failed to report for Juventus’ first day of pre-season training. With the squad reconvening after a delayed summer break, his absence did not go unnoticed. Sources close to the club told The Athletic that internal disciplinary action is now on the table, with Luiz facing potential sanctions for skipping training without permission. 

Meanwhile, Premier League clubs are circling. Everton and West Ham are reportedly leading the race, with both keen to bring Luiz back to England. David Moyes is said to be a big admirer and sees Luiz as the kind of marquee name who could help generate excitement around Everton’s move to their new stadium. On the other hand, new West Ham boss Graham Potter is also keeping close tabs on the situation, believing Luiz’s quality and experience could slot in perfectly at the London Stadium. 

Aston Villa, interestingly, do have an option to re-sign Luiz, but according to reports, they’re not interested in bringing him back. There were also murmurs about a swap deal involving Manchester United, with Jadon Sancho going the other way. But for now, those talks appear to have stalled. Still, the Red Devils haven’t entirely dropped off the radar. Juventus could be open to revisiting player-swap scenarios, with both Sancho and striker Rasmus Højlund mentioned in early discussions. And if a permanent deal proves difficult, the Italian club might also entertain a loan move, especially if it helps lighten their wage bill. 

Juventus are set to begin their pre-season friendlies on August 2 against Reggiana, but it’s unclear whether Luiz will play any role in that match or any upcoming fixtures. What is clear is that the rift between the player and the club has grown deep — and with Premier League clubs now sensing an opportunity, Luiz’s Italian adventure could be nearing an abrupt end. 

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