'It's not easy but you can count on me!' - Douglas Luiz hits out at fan on social media and complains about lack of Juventus playing time

The Brazilian, who arrived with high expectations after a stellar campaign in the Premier League, has yet to make a significant impact since his €50 million (£43m/$55m) transfer from Aston Villa. And Juventus fans are losing their patience with Luiz.

A fan commented under one of Luiz's Instagram posts, accusing the player of merely being present at the club to pose for photos. The 26-year-old replied with a passionate defence, insisting that his intentions upon joining Juventus were sincere and that he had hoped for a far more meaningful contribution on the pitch.

Luiz pushed back against the notion that he lacked commitment and wrote: "I didn’t come here just to take pictures; nobody else did. I want things to be different. I came with a purpose, I listened to my heart when I signed."

Luiz questioned why, despite being fully fit for large portions of the season, he remained out of the starting lineup.

"Now, I want you to answer me: why hasn’t a signing like me played two consecutive matches with this shirt?" he asked.

"You can say whatever you want to the press later: ‘Douglas isn’t fit.’ Am I not fit? I did the entire pre-season and played every match. I had come off one of the best seasons of my career, one of the best defensive midfielders in the Premier League. Injuries held me back. True.

“But how long did I stay on the bench while I was fit? A lot. These injuries were not normal. I’ve never been injury-prone, but there are many reasons that could have caused this, which I’d rather not comment on. I will keep giving everything for this club, even though it’s hard sometimes. It’s not easy, but you can count on me.”

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As Juventus weigh up their plans for the next campaign, reports suggest that Luiz could already be on his way out. Premier League side Nottingham Forest are reportedly exploring the possibility of securing the midfielder’s services on an initial loan deal. The structure under discussion includes a potential option to buy, which could turn into a mandatory purchase if performance-related criteria are met. With Juventus open to a deal and Luiz keen for more regular playing time, a move back to England could be on the cards.