Aston Villa chief Monchi makes strong statement on potential Douglas Luiz return with Juventus midfielder tipped to leave Alisha Lehmann in Turin after nightmare start to life at Serie A club

The Brazilian left the Premier League side to join Juve in the summer transfer window, but he started just two of the nine games in which he featured before he was ruled out with a muscle issue. His girlfriend, Alisha Lehmann, also made the switch from Villa Park to Turin shortly after his transfer was finalised.

The 26-year-old's struggles with the Serie A side have sparked reports they are prepared to let him leave in the January transfer window, and Monchi has left the door open for a move back to his former club.

"He’s a playmaker. Every ball that comes out of his feet makes sense. After his farewell we invested well, but I would always take Douglas back, for any club. He’s very strong," Monchi told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

"He’s playing less than we would have expected, but we’re talking about a very strong player. Some players make their mark straight away, others need time. You need patience, but Douglas’ qualities are beyond discussion. Last year he played 90 per cent of our games and was decisive."

Luiz has been tipped to leave Lehmann in Turin and head back to Villa Park, with Monchi's comments suggesting the door is open for him, but Juve have yet to clarify their current stance on the midfielder's future. The Bianconeri and Villa go head-to-head in the Champions League on Wednesday night, but the Brazil international will not face his former team as he is still out injured.