Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz has completed a £42.35m (50 million Euros) move to Italian club Juventus. The Brazilian international has signed a five-year contract with the Serie A champions, bringing an end to his time at Villa Park. Luiz, who has earned 15 caps for Brazil, joined Villa from Manchester City in 2019 and has since made 204 appearances for the club, scoring 22 goals.
Luiz’s transfer to Juventus comes at a time when he is representing Brazil at the Copa America in the United States. The midfielder underwent his medical for Juventus during the tournament, showing his commitment to completing the move. In a video shared on social media, Luiz expressed his excitement about joining Juventus, stating, “I’m really happy to be a Bianconero. I can’t wait to play in the Allianz Stadium. See you soon and Forza Juve!”
Luiz’s departure from Villa is a significant loss for the club, especially after his impressive performances last season. The 26-year-old scored nine goals in 35 Premier League matches, contributing significantly to Villa’s fourth-place finish and qualification for the Champions League. However, Villa’s need to comply with Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) forced them to sell one of their key players.
The PSR regulations allow Premier League clubs to incur losses of up to £105m over three years. In order to meet these financial requirements, Villa had to cash in on Luiz and other players. Prior to Luiz’s departure, Villa had already sold 21-year-old midfielder Tim Iroegbunam to Everton for £9m. Additionally, Chelsea completed a £19m deal for Villa’s 18-year-old attacking midfielder Omari Kellyman.
Luiz’s move to Juventus not only highlights his individual talent but also showcases the growing recognition of Aston Villa as a club capable of producing top-quality players. The fact that Juventus, one of Europe’s most successful clubs, has chosen to invest in Luiz speaks volumes about Villa’s ability to nurture talent.
This transfer also raises questions about Villa’s ability to maintain their recent success without key players like Luiz. Manager Dean Smith will need to find suitable replacements who can fill the void left by Luiz’s departure. It will be a challenging task, but Villa’s previous transfer activities have shown their ability to identify and recruit promising talents.
In conclusion, Douglas Luiz’s move to Juventus marks the end of an era for Aston Villa. His departure is a blow for the club, but it also highlights their growing reputation as a club that produces top-quality players. Villa will now need to focus on finding suitable replacements and continue their journey of success in the Premier League and beyond.