Aston Villa Struggling To Buy Midfielder Permanently: Should They Pay €30m?

Aston Villa Struggling To Buy Midfielder Permanently: Should They Pay €30m?

Aston Villa brought Douglas Luiz back on loan from Juventus in January 2026, but the reunion has done little to justify paying the €25m to keep him this summer. The 27-year-old Brazilian came off the bench during Villa’s 4–0 Europa League semi-final win over Nottingham Forest on 7 May, but his bit-part role spoke volumes.

Douglas Luiz’s Aston Villa return looks set to end in disappointment

He hasn’t started a game since the 2–0 victory over Lille in March, as Unai Emery has stuck with other options in midfield. Across loan spells at both Forest and Villa this season, Luiz has managed just one goal in 21 appearances, numbers that are a far cry from the standards he once set at Villa Park.

He previously spent five great seasons at the club, including a 10-goal, 10-assist campaign in 2023–24, making his current slump even more obvious. While his set-pieces and passing range once made him a focal point, his fitness and consistency have fallen off a cliff since moving to Turin.

Dealing with three different managers at Forest this season didn’t help either, with the constant coaching changes clearly messing with his rhythm. Over in Italy, Calciomercato reports that Juventus now view Luiz as almost impossible to sell, especially since he still carries a €30m book value despite his initial €50m price tag. It’s a situation starting to look a lot like their struggle with , who has been sent on four different loans since his big-money move from .