Douglas Luiz agrees Chelsea move as Juventus negotiations advance

Chelsea have received a major boost in their pursuit of Douglas Luiz, with reports from Italy claiming the midfielder has already agreed in principle to a move to Stamford Bridge.

Interest from Chelsea first emerged earlier this week and has since been echoed across England, Italy and Brazil. While Luiz’s former club Vasco da Gama attempted to re-sign him, their inability to progress talks with Juventus opened the door for the Blues to step in.

Luiz joined Juventus from Aston Villa in June 2024 but struggled to establish himself in Serie A. That led to a loan move to Nottingham Forest, where his impact has been limited.

The 27-year-old has made eight Premier League appearances, starting only five times and accumulating just 319 minutes. Under Sean Dyche, Luiz has been left on the bench in Forest’s last two league fixtures and has started only once in their previous five matches.

As a result, Luiz has instructed his agent, Kia Joorabchian, to actively find a new club before the January window closes.

According to Tuttosport, Joorabchian explored several possibilities, including moves to Vasco da Gama, Ajax and Chelsea. Of those, the Premier League side have moved quickest and most convincingly.

The Italian outlet reports that Luiz has “said yes” to Chelsea and is fully convinced by the sporting project in west London. The Blues’ status as Club World Cup holders and their continued involvement at the top end of European football have reportedly played a decisive role.

Chelsea are now in direct discussions with Juventus over the structure of a deal. Talks are centred around a loan move with an option to buy, with further contact expected to take place over the weekend.

Juventus are understood to be open to Luiz’s departure, particularly as the conditional purchase obligation included in his Nottingham Forest loan is unlikely to be triggered. From their perspective, Chelsea represent an attractive solution.

The Turin club believe the Premier League side would have little difficulty completing a permanent transfer if Luiz impresses during the loan spell. As a result, optimism is growing that an agreement can be reached.

Negotiations between Chelsea and Juventus are expected to intensify in the coming days. With the player fully on board and Juventus receptive to a deal, the remaining hurdle is agreeing final terms.

If completed, the move would offer Luiz a chance to revive his Premier League career — and give Chelsea experienced midfield depth during a demanding second half of the season.

Is Douglas Luiz the midfield reinforcement Chelsea need for the run-in?