Douglas Luiz wants Aston Villa exit as transfer talks advance already
Juventus want to sign Douglas Luiz from Aston Villa and will “push hard” for him this summer, according to Sky Sports.
Rob Wotton reported live on Sky Sports News on 4 June that the Serie A giants could offer midfielder Weston McKennie as part of a deal for the Villan’s Brazilian star.
However, the Old Lady is said to be “financially limited” when it comes to the transfer window and do not have an extensive budget to work with.
In Italy, Gazzetta dello Sport (4 June) reports that negotiations between the two sides to do a deal involving both players are already advancing, with optimism growing in Turin thanks to Luiz’s approval of a switch to the Italian side.
The 26-year-old has reportedly let his representatives, and in turn therefore Juve, that he would like a move to the Allianz Stadium.
Is Juventus midfielder a downgrade for Unai Emery at Aston Villa?
Luiz has been a crucial part of Unai Emery’s success at Villa Park and the club have benefited from seeing off interest from Arsenal over multiple transfer windows.
Losing him at this stage would surely be a blow after the achievement of qualifying for the Champions League, but if he were to go it does not need to derail the operation under the Spanish manager as long as the correct replacement is brought in.
McKennie, 25, may be a 51-cap US international with extensive experience in the Bundesliga with Schalke and Serie A with Juventus, where he has won plenty of trophies.
But anyone who saw his last attempt to establish himself in the Premier League at Leeds United might be excused for feeling that interest from Aston Villa, which has been around ever since his unsuccessful loan stint at Elland Road two seasons ago [TuttoSport] is misguided.
His supporters might justifiably argue that very few players who were relegated with Leeds that year came out of it with much credit and the midfield under Jesse Marsch and his multiple successors seemed tactically chaotic throughout the campaign.
Emery has earned himself the benefit of the doubt after turning Villa from a relegation-threatened outfit under Steven Gerrard to Champions League qualifiers, so perhaps he knows how to get the best out of McKennie.
If so the American could feasibly slot straight in should Luiz depart, but losing a player who has contributed 16 goals and 16 assists in all competitions from midfield over the previous two campaigns at Villa likely wouldn’t be the most welcome development of the summer, even if January signing Morgan Rogers has emerged and could pick up the slack.
In other Aston Villa news, a highly-rated player who has shone since his arrival has committed his future to the club with a new contract.
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