Chelsea Eyes Loan for Douglas Luiz through Season’s End – The Athletic
Chelsea is reportedly eyeing a loan move for Douglas Luiz until the end of the current season. The Brazilian midfielder is presently on loan at Nottingham Forest from Juventus but has only made 13 appearances since his arrival in August.
Chelsea’s Interest in Douglas Luiz
Luiz is seen as a valuable addition to Chelsea’s midfield, providing both quality and depth as the team competes in the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, and League Cup. He transferred to Juventus from Aston Villa for approximately €50 million (£42.3 million; $53.6 million) along with €1.5 million in potential add-ons during the summer of 2024.
Performance at Nottingham Forest
Despite his high-profile transfer, Luiz has struggled to make a significant impact in Turin. This season, he faced a hamstring injury and has started only twice in the Premier League since Sean Dyche took over as Forest’s head coach in October. His current loan at Forest includes an obligation to buy, based on his appearance count. Should he not meet this threshold, Nottingham Forest has a €30 million option to buy him outright.
Chelsea’s Midfield Landscape
Chelsea currently boasts several midfield options, including Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez, Andrey Santos, Dario Essugo, and Romeo Lavia. However, injuries have hampered the availability of Essugo and Lavia, with Essugo yet to play this season and Lavia appearing only seven times.
Upcoming Matches
Chelsea will face Crystal Palace on Sunday in the Premier League. If they secure a deal for Luiz, he would be ineligible to play in their final Champions League group stage match against Napoli next Wednesday due to registration timelines.
Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest, now managed by Dyche, will compete against Braga in the Europa League on Thursday evening.
