Man City consider shock transfer for former Aston Villa player only months after move
Manchester City are reportedly considering a loan move for former Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz.
The 26-year-old, who joined Juventus in the summer amid Profitability and Sustainability concerns at Villa, has had limited game time in Italy. This campaign, Douglas only has nine Serie A appearances to his name and most of those have come off the bench.
Last November, Villa supporters thought they would get to see him in action on his return to Villa Park but a muscle fatigue kept him out of the Champions League tie. Having struggled to adapt to life in Turin, Italian media outlet Gazetta previously reported that Juve are open to parting with Douglas this month if they were to receive suitable offers in the window.
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Juve, who are keen to strengthen both their defence and their forward line, could be open to a loan exchange, however, and one name put forward is Joshua Zirkzee. The move to Manchester United hasn't worked out and an exit this month could be a possibility.
In an interview with Italian outlet Gazzetta dello Sport, Monchi discussed Douglas' qualities and his struggle to adapt to life at new club Juventus. "He’s playing less than we all expected, but we’re talking about a strong player," he said.
"There are guys who arrive and impose themselves, others who need time. Patience is needed, but Douglas’ qualities are beyond discussion. He will become important for Juve. He’s a playmaker and every ball that comes out of his feet has a meaning: last year he played 90% of the games with us. He was decisive."
Villa's decision to sell Douglas came amid worries over the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR), with it widely judged the he was the best player among the club's high-value assets. Besides Douglas, Guardiola is also said to admire Adam Wharton, his Crystal Palace team-mate Eberechi Eze Newcastle's Anthony Gordon, but it's unlikely that City will make a move for any of them until the summer following a series of departures.
Douglas joined Villa from City in 2019 for around £25m. While at Villa, he was heavily linked with a return to City, who had a buy-back clause inserted into the move.
