West Ham United have expressed an interest in signing Juventus midfielder Douglas Luiz in the winter transfer window.
The Brazilian international, 26, has struggled to get regular game time at Juventus following his switch from Aston Villa, playing only 268 minutes across seven Serie A appearances although he has missed the last nine games across all competitions with a muscle injury. He has only started two league games, with new boss Thiago Motta preferring the likes of Weston McKennie, Manuel Locatelli and Khephren Thuram in central midfield.
This had led to speculation the deep-lying playmaker from Rio de Janeiro could leave Juventus after only arriving five months ago. West Ham have reportedly made an early enquiry for Douglas Luiz but could face competition from London rivals Fulham next month. Juventus are open to offloading the South American in order to fund a move for Feyenoord defender David Hancko.
West Ham eye move for Douglas Luiz?
West Ham have endured a disastrous campaign under new boss Julen Lopetegui, who took the reins from David Moyes in the summer. After an extremely productive summer transfer window, expectations were very high from the fans and pundits alike to see Lopetegui’s side play a dynamic brand of football and compete for a place in Europe at least.
However, things have not gone as per the plan with the Hammers lying in the bottom half of the table, leaving the Spanish tactician under immense pressure. With just four wins from opening 14 games, it is clear Lopetegui is struggling. Nonetheless, West Ham are planning to reinforce the squad in January and would like to bring in a midfielder.
Douglas Luiz has emerged as an option. The 26-year-old is a Premier League proven commodity, having played over 200 times for Aston Villa. He made a name for himself at Villa, but after failing to adapt to the demands of Serie A football, the defensive midfielder could be heading back to the Premier League.
Luiz would undoubtedly improve West Ham’s midfield unit, adding energy, bite and class. With a strong enforcer in Guido Rodriguez besides him, the Brazilian could thrive as a No.8 and provide service for the likes of Lucas Paqueta, Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus in the final third. He has the skill set and volumes of experience to make an immediate impact at the London Stadium.
That said, if Juventus make Luiz available for transfer, the Irons must not hesitate to secure his services in January.
I am Rohan Sengupta from one of the busiest cities in India, Mumbai. A Journalism graduate with a keen interest in sports, football is something I simply cannot live without and writing, discussing and analyzing the game is what I do 24*7.
