Unai Emery decides against £23m Douglas Luiz option at Aston Villa | OneFootball

According to ExpressAndStar.com, Aston Villa have decided against triggering their £23m option to buy Douglas Luiz, who will leave for a second time and return to parent club Juventus before pre-season.

Luiz left Villa for £42.5m two years ago, then rejoined on loan in January after injuries to Boubacar Kamara, Youri Tielemans and John McGinn.

He struggled to make the desired impact. Unai Emery turned to youngster Lamare Bogarde and defender Victor Lindelof for midfield cover during the run-in, as Villa secured a top-four Premier League finish and won the Europa League.

A popular figure with supporters, Luiz made more than 200 appearances in his first spell between 2019 and 2024. He had been keen on a permanent return after struggling for form with Juventus and during a loan at Nottingham Forest in the first half of the season.

Villa will now look elsewhere for midfield reinforcements in the upcoming transfer window.

Emery also wants to add pace to his attack, with Newcastle winger Harvey Barnes on the shortlist. Celta Vigo’s Oscar Mingueza is a defensive target to cover both right-sided centre-back and right-back.

Source: ExpressAndStar.com