Unai Emery reportedly wants Aston Villa to re-sign 27-year-old Brazilian international Douglas Luiz, but he is ready to join Chelsea in the winter transfer window.
According to a report by Italian outlet Tuttosport, Douglas Luiz is the subject of interest from Aston Villa. The Villans are keen on reinforcing their first-team squad by signing a productive holding midfielder in the winter transfer window. So, the 27-year-old has emerged as a target for the West Midlands outfit.
Unai Emery is reportedly pushing Aston Villa to re-sign the South American midfielder in the winter transfer window. However, Luiz is ready to join Chelsea in the coming days, and a loan move to Stamford Bridge may be on the cards.
How has Douglas Luiz fared since leaving Aston Villa?
Douglas Luiz was a peripheral figure after joining Juventus from Aston Villa in a deal worth €50 million in July 2024. The 27-year-old moved to the Allianz Stadium as one of the best players in the Premier League after his exploits for the West Midlands outfit. However, he has been a shell of the player he was at Aston Villa.
Meanwhile, the Brazilian international has not been a regular during his spell with Nottingham Forest, managing only 710 minutes of game time across 14 appearances thus far. However, Luiz’s spell with the Tricky Trees may end soon, as Aston Villa and Chelsea are keen on securing his services in the winter transfer window.
Move across the Premier League on the cards?
Chelsea’s interest in Douglas Luiz has been surprising. However, the Blues have been scouring the market for a holding midfielder heading into the winter transfer window, as Dario Essugo and Romeo Lavia have struggled with fitness issues throughout the 2025/26 season. Several options have thus emerged on Chelsea’s wishlist, with Luiz also a viable target.
As for Aston Villa, while recent reports have suggested that the Villans have ruled out a January move, a new report has indicated that Unai Emery is pushing the West Midlands outfit to re-sign Luiz this month. With John McGinn and Boubacar Kamara in the treatment room for the foreseeable future, Aston Villa can do with a new midfielder.
However, Aston Villa may have fallen behind Chelsea in the battle for Luiz’s signature, as he is keen on joining the West London club in the winter transfer window. It will be interesting to see if the 27-year-old Brazilian international moves across the Premier League in the final week of the window.
