Douglas Luiz is on the verge of completing a return to Aston Villa after a verbal agreement was reached with Juventus over a paid loan deal that includes a buy option clause. As confirmed by Fabrizio Romano on his official X account, the Brazilian midfielder is set to head back to Villa Park just 18 months after leaving for Italy, with the move following talks revealed last week.
As previously reported by SoftFootball, amid strong interest from Chelsea, Villa reopened negotiations with Juventus and moved quickly to secure a deal that suits all parties. The structure of the transfer requires an extra step, as Luiz is currently on loan at Nottingham Forest.
Fabrizio Romano posted:
Douglas Luiz to Aston Villa, here we go! The Brazilian midfielder is back at the club after talks revealed last week.
Verbal agreement with Juventus over paid loan deal with buy option clause.
Nottingham Forest send Luiz back to Juve and new loan to #AVFC.
Forest will terminate that agreement early and send the midfielder back to Juventus, allowing the Italian club to immediately sanction a new loan move to Aston Villa. The development aligns with earlier reports that Chelsea had opened talks with Juventus, but Villa’s renewed push ultimately changed the direction of the deal.
Aston Villa’s urgency has been driven by a growing injury crisis in midfield. Boubacar Kamara is sidelined for the rest of the season with a serious knee injury, while John McGinn is expected to miss several weeks.
Youri Tielemans also picked up an ankle issue during Villa’s recent 2-0 win at Newcastle, a result that underlined the team’s momentum but exposed their lack of depth in central areas. With options running thin, Unai Emery identified Luiz as the ideal short-term and long-term solution.
For Luiz, the move represents a chance to reset his career. His loan spell at Nottingham Forest has been disrupted by injury and inconsistency, limiting him to just eight Premier League appearances and under 320 minutes of action. Before that, his high-profile switch to Juventus failed to spark, as he struggled for starts and rhythm in Serie A.
Villa offered familiarity and clarity. Luiz made over 200 appearances for the club between 2019 and 2024 and was a key figure in their rise under Emery. The manager’s direct involvement, coupled with the promise of immediate responsibility, proved decisive.
With the agreement in place, Luiz is expected to rejoin Villa imminently, bringing experience, balance, and a sense of unfinished business back to a club where he once thrived.
