West Ham United and Everton have reportedly made a move to sign Juventus midfielder Douglas Luiz, as per a recent report.
The 27-year-old was an undisputed starter for Aston Villa and enjoyed a stellar 2023/24 campaign, helping his side qualify for the Champions League by finishing top four in the Premier League.
At that moment, he was considered one of the best midfielders in the English top flight and attracted a lot of attention. Eventually, Juventus managed to win the race for him.
However, upon moving to Allianz Stadium, the Brazilian struggled to settle down in his new surroundings, making only six starts combined in Serie A and the Champions League.
Now, as per a recent report (via Fichajes), Luis is on high wages at Juventus, and following his recent struggles, they are ready to remove him from the wage bill.
West Ham have already made a move to convince the player to return to the Premier League and have expressed their interest through intermediaries.
Battle
On the other hand, Everton are also keen on signing him and have made direct contact with Juventus to seal the deal ahead of the Hammers. The Toffees want to sign Luiz on an initial loan deal with an option to make the move permanent.
The Old Lady of Turin might be open to letting the Brazilian leave on loan, but want to include an obligation to purchase option. The 27-year-old is valued at around £26m by Transfermarkt and still has four years left in his current contract.
West Ham bolstered the midfield department by signing Guido Rodríguez last summer, while Carlos Soler also joined, but he was a loan arrival and has returned to his parent club, Paris Saint-Germain.
Rodriguez displayed inconsistent performances, so Graham Potter is willing to sign a new midfielder this summer. On the other hand, Everton lack options in their midfield department, so David Moyes could do with adding depth.
Despite Luiz’s struggles in Serie A, he is a Premier League proven player and is still young. So, he would be a shrewd acquisition for West Ham or Everton should either club buy him.
