Why Douglas Luiz and Nicolas Gonzalez stayed back at Juventus | OneFootball

Douglas Luiz and Nicolas Gonzalez were both on loan away from Juventus last season after difficult starts to their careers at the club during the 2024/2025 campaign.

Both players must have ended that season feeling they had made a huge mistake by choosing the Bianconeri as their next club, with their first year proving extremely difficult.

During the following summer, Luiz nearly did not return to Juventus and eventually secured a loan move to Nottingham Forest. He spent the first half of the season there before moving to Aston Villa for the second half.

Gonzalez spent last season on loan at Atletico Madrid and performed well. He did not want to return to Juventus, but the clubs could not reach an agreement over a deal, leaving him with no choice but to stay.

Spalletti Wanted Both Players

The situation raised questions about why Luiz and Gonzalez remained at Juventus. Was it because there were no suitors willing to sign them, or did they now believe they could succeed at the club?

Gianluca Di Marzio has provided an answer, explaining that both players remained because Luciano Spalletti wanted them to be part of his plans.

Rather than being unwanted players who simply had nowhere else to go, Luiz and Gonzalez returned to Juventus and were immediately given an important role under the manager.

(Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

Di Marzio Explains Juventus Decisions

Di Marzio said via Tuttomercatoweb:

“If anything, Juve’s best signings so far have been those who returned from loans: Douglas Luiz and Nico Gonzalez. After a season as unwanted players, or at least one in which they left for various reasons to seek other opportunities elsewhere, they returned and Spalletti immediately made them central to the project. He wanted them: they didn’t stay because they had to stay or because they weren’t sold, they stayed because Spalletti wanted them.”

Their return has therefore given them another opportunity to establish themselves at Juventus. Instead of remaining because no other club wanted them, Di Marzio says they stayed because Spalletti specifically wanted them in his team.