Chelsea Miss Out As Douglas Luiz agrees shock Aston Villa return

Douglas Luiz has agreed a move back to Aston Villa despite Chelsea looking like his next destination.

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

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.

Both club are now working rapidly to finalise the paperwork, which will simultaneously trigger the termination of Luiz’s season-long loan at Nottingham Forest.

Douglas Luiz is set to rejoin Aston Villa. (Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images)

Luiz has reportedly already agreed to the terms of his return, eager to escape a difficult period at the Nottingham Forest.

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.

Despite being linked with Chelsea, Luiz has decided a move back to Villa suits his career.

Aston Villa 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 make things worse, 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.

Youri Tielemans also appeared to sustain an ankle injury on Sunday during the club’s 2-0 victory over Newcastle United.

Villa were once linked with Ruben Loftus-Cheek but has decided to settle for a familiar face who knows Emery’s system intimately. Luiz returns to Villa Park with a point to prove after a challenging 18 months since his high-profile exit.