Nottingham Forest is gearing up to accelerate its pursuit of Brazilian midfielder Douglas Luiz, aiming to bring him back to the Premier League. The club, led by president Evangelos Marinakis, has made the 25-year-old midfielder its top target.
Nottingham Forest is currently in advanced talks with Juventus, the player’s current club, to finalize a deal. The move is strongly supported by Forest’s coach, Nuno Espirito Santo, who specifically requested Luiz as a key addition to his squad.
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Negotiations are ongoing to find common ground, particularly regarding the transfer fee reports Nico Schira. Juventus has set a minimum asking price of around €40 million, while Nottingham Forest hopes to secure the player for approximately €33-34 million.
Douglas Luiz 📸
Both sides are working hard to bridge this gap, especially since Douglas Luiz has expressed full enthusiasm for the potential move. His agent, Kia Joorabchian, has already reached a preliminary agreement with Nottingham Forest on contract terms.
The proposed deal would keep Luiz at the club until 2030, with a salary of around €5 million plus bonuses—more than he currently earns in Turin.
Transfer details and competing interests
Juventus is clear on the type of deal they want: a permanent transfer with an obligation to buy. They want to completely part ways with the player rather than a loan or conditional deal.
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Nottingham Forest, however, would prefer to tie the obligation to purchase to the team’s qualification for European competitions. Although the club managed to secure a spot in the Europa League last season, competing in the Premier League remains highly competitive.
This uncertainty makes the final terms challenging, so Juventus is hoping to base the obligation on more achievable targets. Douglas Luiz’s move to Nottingham Forest is not the only option on the table. Other clubs are also monitoring the midfielder’s situation closely.
Everton, for instance, is in the market for a quality central midfielder and has a budget of around €35 million. Still, the Everton move does not seem to excite Luiz as much as the prospect of returning to the Premier League with Forest.
Gaspar has admired Douglas Luiz for years; he even made a €40 million offer to sign Luiz for Arsenal two years ago. At that time, Roma’s sporting director Monchi refused to sell.
Moreover, Juventus’s new sporting director, François Modesto, maintains excellent ties with Nottingham Forest. Modesto has worked closely with Edu Gaspar in recent months and has a solid rapport with the club’s management.
Tic-Toc!
Marinakis, Nottingham Forest’s owner, highly regards Modesto, having entrusted him with managing the sporting area of his other club, Olympiacos. The strong mutual respect between these figures could facilitate the smooth completion of the transfer.
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While Nottingham Forest remains the favored destination, Douglas Luiz also has interest from Turkey’s Fenerbahce. José Mourinho has reportedly expressed interest and could offer a lucrative contract to the midfielder. Despite this, Luiz appears determined to prioritize a Premier League return.
In summary, the transfer saga of Douglas Luiz is entering its decisive phase. Nottingham Forest is pushing hard to secure the talented Brazilian midfielder, Juventus is firm on its valuation, and the player himself seems ready to make the move.
With positive relations between the clubs and ongoing negotiations, a final agreement could be reached very soon, marking another significant step in Luiz’s promising career.