Barcelona are making an ambitious attempt to hijack Aston Villa and Juventus’ swap deal involving Douglas Luiz, according to reports.
The Old Lady have been closing on a move for Luiz which would see them pay a sizeable fee to Villa, who would also receive US international midfielder Weston McKennie and exciting England prospect Samuel Iling Junior.
Villa have desperately tried to keep hold of the Brazil international but seem resigned to selling as they battle Premier League Profit and Sustainability Rules, while the blow of losing Luiz will be softened by receiving a direct replacement.
Given Villa’s financial situation — even with Champions League qualification — Luiz would represent an incredible opportunity for any club looking to strengthen their midfield with genuine quality this summer.
The 26-year-old joined the Lions in 2019 and has since made 204 appearances across all competitions, scoring 22 goals and registering 24 assists.
Luiz was first among Aston Villa players in the 2023/24 Premier League for a number of key metrics, including chances created, passes attempted/completed, final third passes attempted/completed, through-balls completed and possessions won in the defensive third.
The former Manchester City man’s form was key in helping Unai Emery steer Villa to fourth place in the Premier League, delivering Champions League football for 2024/25.
Barcelona to hijack Douglas Luiz move?
Things may be about to get a little more complicated with Aston Villa’s sale of Luiz.
According to Spanish outlet Sport, Barcelona have launched a late attempt to lure Luiz to the Camp Nou.
What’s more, the report states that despite Luiz already agreeing a €5m per year deal with Juventus over a four-year contract, the midfielder would actually still prefer a move to Barcelona.
If Juventus want to save their move from falling through, they must hope that Aston Villa quickly agree terms with both McKennie and Iling Junior.
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