Douglas Luiz agrees shock Aston Villa return after miserable Nottingham Forest loan spell as Chelsea miss out on Juventus midfielder

Aston Villa have moved decisively to secure a reunion with their former midfield lynchpin, reaching a full verbal agreement with Juventus to bring the Brazilian back to the Midlands. According to The Telegraph and The Athletic the deal is now in place.

The agreement involves a paid loan fee to the Serie A giants, and crucially, it includes an option for Villa to purchase the player permanently at the end of the campaign. The clubs are now working rapidly to finalise the paperwork, which will simultaneously trigger the termination of Luiz's season-long loan at Nottingham Forest.

The 27-year-old has reportedly already agreed to the terms of his return, eager to escape a difficult period at the City Ground. Villa had discussed the possibility of bringing Luiz back in recent days, but discussions accelerated rapidly over the last 24 hours as the club's need for reinforcements became critical.

The decision to re-sign a player who left the club just 18 months ago has been driven by a severe injury crisis that threatens to derail Aston Villa's season. Emery’s side are currently facing a chronic shortage of options in the engine room, with three key starters sidelined.

Defensive midfielder Boubacar Kamara will miss the remainder of the season after suffering a serious knee injury. To compound matters, captain John McGinn is expected to be ruled out for six weeks, significantly weakening Villa's leadership and drive in the middle of the park.

The situation worsened on Sunday during the club’s 2-0 victory over Newcastle United, where Youri Tielemans appeared to sustain an ankle injury. With the treatment room overflowing, the Villa hierarchy, who had previously considered Ruben Loftus-Cheek as a potential stop-gap solution, pivoted back to a familiar face who knows Emery’s system intimately.

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The speed of Villa’s operation has seen them hijack interest from Premier League rivals Chelsea. It was reported last week that the Blues were seriously considering a loan move for Luiz as they looked to bolster Liam Rosenior’s squad for a assault on four competitions, including the Champions League and FA Cup. However, the emotional pull of Villa Park and the guarantee of immediate playing time appears to have swung the decision in Villa's favour.

For Luiz, the move draws a line under a disastrous stint at Nottingham Forest. Since joining the club on loan from Juventus in the summer, the Brazil international has struggled to make an impact, hampered by a hamstring injury and poor form. He has made just eight top-flight appearances this term, only five of which came as a member of the starting XI.

His loan at Forest reportedly included a conditional obligation to buy based on appearance numbers, as well as a €30 million option. However, with the midfielder failing to hit those metrics, all parties have agreed to cut ties early, allowing him to head back to Birmingham.

Luiz returns to Villa Park with a point to prove after a challenging 18 months since his high-profile exit. The midfielder made over 200 appearances for the club between 2019 and 2024, becoming a fan favourite before moving to Juventus in the summer of 2024 for a fee of €50 million plus add-ons.

However, his dream move to Turin did not go to plan. He struggled to adapt to life in Serie A, playing 90 minutes only twice in his debut season before being shipped out to Forest. Now, back in the environment where he played the best football of his career, Luiz will be tasked with immediately plugging the gaps left by Kamara and McGinn as Villa look to maintain their own push for European qualification.