Aston Villa are close to agreeing a shock transfer deal with Juventus that would see Douglas Luiz swap Villa Park for Turin – while Unai Emery’s side are poised to land Weston McKennie and Samuel Iling Jr as part of the agreement
Aston Villa and Juventus are putting the finishing touches on a player-plus-cash swap deal that would see Douglas Luiz move to Turin – ending his five-year stay at Villa Park.
Villa are under pressure to balance their financial records before June 30 and the 26-year-old Brazilian midfield staple now looks poised to depart for Serie A.
Unai Emery’s side look set to receive around £16million in cash while also landing ex-Leeds loanee Weston McKennie and 20-year-old English talent Samuel Iling Jr as part of the package.
New Juventus boss Thiago Motta personally approved the deal on Tuesday at his family home in Portugal where he was signing his contract with the Old Lady.
The move is still subject to all three players agreeing personal terms, though that is not expected to be a problem.
Luiz struck 10 times and registered 10 assists in 53 appearances for Villa this season as they defied the odds to secure Champions League qualification via an impressive top-four finish.
Arsenal previously made three bids for the Brazil international, whose partner Alisha Lehmann plays for Aston Villa Women, in 2022 but have since cooled their interest.
Villa would almost be getting a like-for-like replacement in USMNT box-to-box midfielder McKennie, who finally put his injury struggles behind him last season to make 38 appearances for the Bianconeri in all competitions.
Ex-Chelsea academy starlet Iling Jr has long been admired by Villa and is now looking to return to England after spending nearly four years in Italy.
Talks started at the beginning of the month when Aston Villa sporting director Monchi held a meeting with Juventus chiefs, who outlined their desire to land Luiz. Monchi is understood to have disclosed that Villa needed to move quickly and now the operation has gathered serious speed.
Luiz is currently in the United States gearing up for the Copa America with Brazil but he is expected to undergo a medical Stateside once an agreement between all relevant parties is finalised.
Villa are also in line to bring Ross Barkley back to the club on a permanent deal for Luton Town for a fee in the region of £5million.
Meanwhile, AC Milan have also held talks to sign Matty Cash though Tottenham right-back Emerson Royal is also on their radar.
Milan’s technical director Geoffrey Moncada is driving the Rossoneri’s interest but the current feeling is that Villa would have to lower their demands to draw the Italian giants to the negotiating table.
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