Romano: ‘Green light given’ for ‘swap deal’ to send Arsenal target to Juventus for Leeds flop
Aston Villa are reportedly close to reaching a ‘final agreement’ with Juventus over a deal that will send Arsenal-linked midfielder Douglas Luiz to Turin.
Luiz has been linked with a move to Arsenal since the Londoners failed to land him on deadline day in the 2022 summer transfer window.
The Gunners made several bids for the Brazilian and were not willing to pay more than £25million.
His value has soared since then having taken his game to another level under Unai Emery, helping Aston Villa finish fourth in the Premier League this season.
There was always going to be speculation over Luiz’s future this summer but the rumour mill has taken a turn nobody expected.
Juventus appear to be very serious about signing the 26-year-old and are now close to bringing him in.
Fabrizio Romano claimed on Monday that the Villans want £50m for Luiz, though a swap deal could not be ruled out.
Swap deals are pretty rare in the Premier League but it looks like this one is very close to being agreed.
Posting on X on Tuesday afternoon, Romano revealed that new Juventus manager Thiago Motta has ‘given the green light’ to sign Luiz in a swap deal.
Villa will reportedly receive €20m (£16.8m) – which will help them avoid a financial breach from the Premier League – and two players.
Romano says former Leeds United loanee Weston McKennie – who had an awful time at Elland Road in the second half of 2022/23 – and young winger Samuel Iling-Junior are involved in the transfer.
With the two clubs ‘more than close to a final agreement’, personal terms for all three players are currently being ‘discussed’, Romano adds.
McKennie looked set to leave Juventus after a disappointing spell in the Premier League but Max Allegri kept him and the American had a solid season.
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