Douglas Luiz is set to become Nottingham Forest's eighth signing of the summer transfer window
Juventus' Douglas Luiz
Juventus' Douglas Luiz(Image: Getty)
Douglas Luiz is anticipated to move closer to finalising his transfer to Nottingham Forest today.
The Reds have been monitoring the Juventus midfielder for quite some time and are now close to landing his services. Should everything proceed as planned, he will become the eighth summer signing at the City Ground.
Transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano reports that Luiz, who spent five years with Aston Villa before being sold to solve their Profitability & Sustainability Regulations commitments last summer, is due for his medical examination later today before signing on the dotted line.
He will strengthen manager Nuno Espirito Santo's midfield options as Forest look to progress further this campaign.
Romano posted on X: "Douglas Luiz will undergo his medical at Nottingham Forest today. The Brazilian is travelling to England this morning."
Luiz will join the Reds initially on loan. The Athletic has stated there is an obligation to buy clause dependent on how many matches the 27 year old features in, reports Nottinghamshire Live.
Should the ex-Villa player fail to reach the necessary number of appearances, there remains an option for Forest to purchase him outright for approximately €30 million (£26m).
Luiz has experienced a somewhat disappointing spell in Italy following his €50m (£43m) move from Villa a year ago. He only started three Serie A fixtures last term.
A comeback to the Premier League is understood to have greatly attracted the midfielder. Everton and West Ham United were also linked with interest in him, but it is the Reds who have prevailed in securing his signature.
Forest have already bolstered Nuno's squad this summer with the additions of Igor Jesus, Jair Cunha, Dan Ndoye, Angus Gunn, Omari Hutchinson, James McAtee and Arnaud Kalimuendo. They now have less than a fortnight to finalise their transfer dealings before the window shuts on 1 September.
The Reds kicked off their Premier League season in style last weekend, securing a 3-1 victory over Brentford on home turf, their next match is this Sunday, when they'll be heading to Selhurst Park to take on Crystal Palace (2pm kick-off).
Having a strong squad depth is crucial for Forest this season as they gear up to compete in Europe for the first time in thirty years. With Luiz set to join the ranks, there will be no shortage of competition in the midfield.
Ibrahim Sangare and Elliot Anderson were the starting central midfielders against Brentford. Nuno also has Ryan Yates and Nicolas Dominguez (once he recovers from injury) at his disposal, while attacking midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White can also play in a deeper role and new recruit James McAtee brings a wealth of creativity to the table.
Luiz, who missed Juventus' Champions League trip to Villa Park last season, could make a first return to his former stomping ground on January 3, while Villa go to the City Ground on April 11.
Luiz played 204 games for Villa after his move from Manchester City in 2019 and established himself as one of the better defensive midfielders in the Premier League.