Aston Villa to sell Douglas Luiz to Juventus; Samuel Iling-Junior, Enzo Barrenechea to join

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - MAY 2: Douglas Luiz of Aston Villa during the UEFA Europa Conference League 2023/24 Semi-Final first leg match between Aston Villa and Olympiacos FC at Villa Park on May 2, 2024 in Birmingham, England.(Photo by James Baylis - AMA/Getty Images)
By David Ornstein
Jun 22, 2024

Aston Villa have agreed a deal to sell Douglas Luiz to Juventus, with Samuel Iling-Junior and Enzo Barrenechea moving in the opposite direction as part of a separate transaction.

Juventus are expected to pay around €50million for Luiz and recoup €22m for fellow midfielders Iling-Junior and Barrenechea.

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The Villa-bound pair are scheduled to undergo medicals next week and sign five-year contracts.

Luiz, 26, scored nine goals in 35 Premier League games last season as Unai Emery’s side finished fourth and qualified for the Champions League.

Iling-Junior, 20, joined Juventus from Chelsea four years ago and made 27 appearances in 2023-24, predominantly as a left winger.

A youth product of Newell’s Old Boys, 23-year-old Barrenechea spent last season on loan at Frosinone and featured in 39 matches.

Villa needed to sell a first-team player for substantial profit if they intend to continue spending in line with performance on the pitch and avoid breaching Premier League profit and sustainability rules (PSR).

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In March, Villa reported a loss of £119.6m ($152m) after tax in the year, compared to the marginal profit of £300,000 from 12 months prior.

The former Vasco de Gama midfielder was named in Dorival Junior’s Brazil squad for this summer’s Copa America, which got under way on Thursday. Brazil’s first game is against Costa Rice on Tuesday, June 25.

Luiz has been capped 14 times for his country since making his international debut in 2019.

(Photo by James Baylis – AMA/Getty Images)

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David Ornstein

David Ornstein joined The Athletic in October 2019 after 12 years as a sports journalist and correspondent at the BBC. In the role of Football Correspondent, he is responsible for producing exclusive and original stories and interviews, offering unique insight and analysis. He works across video, audio and the written word. Follow David on Twitter @David_Ornstein