‘Considered Too Much’ – Aston Villa Make Transfer Decision | OneFootball

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Aston Villa will not trigger their option to buy Juventus loanee Douglas Luiz, but could still potentially sit down with the Bianconeri to discuss a fee.

The 27-year-old midfielder spent the first half of the campaign with Nottingham Forest, where he struggled for regular minutes, hampered by a thigh injury and making just 14 appearances across all competitions.

Former manager Sean Dyche, meanwhile, was not convinced by the Brazilian’s style of play, prompting the club to explore other options, and Luiz subsequently returned to Villa Park in January on an initial deal with an option to make the move permanent for €25m.

The Brazil international registered more than 200 appearances for the Villans in his first spell at the club, having initially arrived in the summer of 2019 before departing for Juventus in June 2024.

His second spell at Villa Park started brightly, with the midfielder earning a healthy share of minutes early on, however he has since slipped down the pecking order, featuring for fewer than 20 minutes in each of his April appearances.

According to Italian outlet Tutto Mercato Web, Villa will not activate the option to buy Luiz, with the €25m price tag ‘considered too much’.

However, Aston Villa could still sit down for talks with Juventus to try to agree a new deal for Luiz, especially as with Champions League football they will require substantial squad depth.

Since his arrival, Luiz has made 15 appearances, contributing a goal and an assist for the Villans.

In March, it was suggested that two conditions would need to be met for the club to retain the Juventus midfielder, although it now appears that a continued stay at Villa Park is far from guaranteed even if those criteria are satisfied.

The battle for Europe’s premier competition remains alive on two fronts, with Villa occupying the final qualification spot in fifth, eight points clear of sixth-placed Chelsea, while still able to secure their place via the Europa League.

On Thursday, his former club Nottingham Forest faced the Villans in the first leg of the Europa League semi-final, a fixture that ended in a 1-0 defeat, with Luiz introduced from the bench for just under 15 minutes.

The Brazil international’s spell since his move to the Turin club was disrupted by injuries, limiting him to just 27 appearances for the Bianconeri, ultimately prompting the Old Lady to sanction his departure last summer.

It is unclear just how much Juventus might be willing to lower his asking price to facilitate an exit and what clubs that could well bring into the race.