Juventus sign Brazil star Douglas Luiz from Aston Villa on long-term deal

Juventus completed the signing of Brazil midfielder Douglas Luiz (26) from Aston Villa in a deal worth a reported £42.3 million on Sunday.

Luiz has agreed to a five-year contract with the Italian club, making him the latest player to depart Villa Park due to the Premier League club's financial fair-play cost-cutting.

Having been signed from Manchester City in 2019, the midfielder spent five years with Villa and played a crucial role in their unexpected fourth-place finish in the Premier League last season.

Luiz, who has scored 22 goals in 204 appearances for Villa, underwent a medical examination before finalizing his move to Juventus while on international duty with Brazil at the Copa America.

Luiz expressed his excitement about joining Juventus in a social media video, stating his eagerness to play at the Allianz Stadium. He ended the video with a spirited "Forza Juve!"

The departure of Luiz from Aston Villa was officially announced by the Premier League club on their website, confirming his move to Juventus.

Despite being named Villa's Player of the Year for the 2022-23 season and helping Brazil secure a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics, Luiz's transfer was necessary for Villa to adhere to the Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) of the Premier League. These rules allow for losses of up to £105 million over a three-year period.

In addition to Luiz, Villa has also sold Tim Iroegbunam to Everton for £9 million and Omari Kellyman to Chelsea for £19 million during the close-season.

There have been rumors linking Villa midfielder Jacob Ramsey to Tottenham, while Unai Emery has made signings from Chelsea and Everton in the form of Ian Maatsen and Lewis Dobbin, respectively.

Luiz will now be part of a Juventus team that finished third in Serie A last season, trailing champions Inter Milan by 24 points.