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Aston Villa are seriously considering a move to sign midfielder Douglas Luiz.
No official club-to-club talks have taken place yet but Villa are exploring a potential deal to bring the Brazil international back to Villa Park.
The Athletic reported last week that Chelsea were considering a move to sign Luiz — who made over 200 appearances for Villa between 2019 and 2024 — on loan for the rest of the season, being viewed as a good fit for Liam Rosenior’s side as they challenge in the league, Champions League, FA Cup and League Cup.
Villa, however, are facing a midfield shortage. The Athletic revealed last week that Boubacar Kamara will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury, while John McGinn is expected to be ruled out for six weeks.
Youri Tielemans, meanwhile, appeared to sustain an ankle injury in Unai Emery’s side’s two-goal victory at Newcastle United on Sunday.
Even prior to Tielemans’ injury, Villa were considering reinforcements in midfield, with Ruben Loftus-Cheek among the options.
Luiz had been discussed as a possibility among representatives but it was not until recent days that Villa began to seriously explore discussions.
Luiz, 27, is on loan at Nottingham Forest from Serie A side Juventus but has only made eight top-flight appearances this term after time out with a hamstring injury earlier this season.
Luiz moved to Italy from Villa for €50million (£42.3m; $53.6m) plus €1.5m in add-ons in the summer of 2024, but struggled to establish himself as a starter in his first season, playing 90 minutes only twice.
His loan at Forest includes an obligation to buy conditional on the number of appearances he makes, with the club also holding a €30m option to buy if he does not hit that number.