Chelsea: Sean Dyche responds to Douglas Luiz links as Blues weigh up loan hijack | OneFootball

Brazilian could move to Stamford Bridge as injury cover

Sean Dyche has responded to reports claiming Chelsea are interested in hijacking Nottingham Forest’s loan deal with Douglas Luiz.

Forest will reportedly be obliged to buy Luiz if he makes 15 Premier League appearances of 45 minutes or more, with the fee set at €25 million (£22m).

It remains to be seen whether a move can be engineered, though, as Dyche has suggested he did not want to lose Luiz.

"He is a very good player,” said Dyche of Luiz on Friday. “I said when we played him in Europe (before Christmas) we probably rushed him back, but because of his experience he has used that wisely to be back.

Chelsea are interested in signing Douglas Luiz

London Standard

"It doesn't surprise me there is interest from other clubs in good players. That's the nature of the business.

"It's a doubled-edged sword. You sort of want people interested in your players, that means they are doing a good job and are good players, but you don't because you don't want them coming knocking on the door.

"That's part of modern football."

Luiz started in midfield as Forest were beaten 1-0 away to Braga in the Europa League on Thursday evening, but was hooked in favour of Elliot Anderson with just over 20 minutes remaining. He had been an unused substitute in both of Forest’s previous matches, at home to Arsenal and away at West Ham.

He also started in Forest’s ignominious FA Cup defeat by Wrexham.