After skipping Juventus’ first pre-season training session this week, Douglas Luiz has effectively pulled the curtain down on his ill-fated spell in Turin. We lift the lid on a calamitous year for the Brazilian, and answer fans’ burning question; why is Douglas Luiz leaving Juventus?
Douglas Luiz Skips Juventus’ First Pre-Season Training Session
Douglas Luiz’s inevitable march towards a premature summer exit from Juventus has been ever-present since being cast out early by former manager Thiago Motta.
Whilst the Brazilian publicly flirted with the idea of a return to England midway through the season, his ‘unauthorized’ absence from training on Thursday has all but confirmed his intentions to leave.
According to reports, Juve intend to impose sanctions on the 27-year-old after skipping Juve’s opening training session of the pre-season.
Luiz’s agent is due to meet representatives from Premier League clubs this week in order to try and finalize a quick resolution, with his employers having been left disgruntled by his insubordination.
It is not the first time Luiz has angered the club since arriving only a year ago, so it is worth delving deeper into the issues that have unravelled what should have been a successful transfer.
Why is Douglas Luiz Leaving Juventus?
Thiago Motta and Douglas Luiz Relationship
Douglas Luiz cited Thiago Motta as one of the reasons why he decided to join Juventus in the first place, but the reality proved very different upon his arrival.
Motta’s preference for club captain Manuele Locatelli in the heart of midfield meant Luiz’s minutes were limited from the outset. That led to some experimentation around October of last year, where the Brazilian was forced into a more advance role.
Recent history shows him to be extremely versatile, straddling both a combative defensive role at former club Aston Villa, while also racking up 10 goals and as many assists in the 2023-24 campaign.
However, when given the chance to prove his $60 million price tag, Luiz failed to perform.
He started just three matches across the whole of last season, managing just 19 appearances in total. Game time was not helped by four separate injuries, including a 10-game stretch at the end of October, shortly after appearing to have won over Motta.
On March 11, he was reportedly spotted at a nightclub in Turin, shortly after Juve suffered a crushing 4-0 home defeat at the hands of Atalanta.
That night also proved to be breaking point for Motta and Juve’s tenuous relationship, with the loss the heaviest on home soil in 58 years.
Motta’s three-year contract in Turin was cut short less than a year into a disastrous tenure, underlined by poor results and fractured relationships in the dressing room.
The ex-Juventus boss was sacked a week later, which signalled a potential fresh start for Luiz.
New manager Igor Tudor’s tenure has not been any kinder on his game time, however, handing Luiz a total of 27 minutes since taking over.
Insiders at Juventus have claimed Luiz’s attitude and application has been far from the club’s expectations. He has been described as ‘distant’ by a select few in the dressing room, and has even been unwilling to participate fully in some drills in training.
Douglas Luiz and Alisha Lehmann Break Up
While not directly related to his performances on the pitch, there is no hiding from the fact that the breakdown of his very public relationship with fellow Juventus women’s star Alisha Lehmann may have affected his mindset.
Luiz and Lehmann split up back in May, with reports suggest that Luiz’s preference to move away from Juventus was not shared by Lehmann, who wishes to remain at the club. Luiz had followed Lehmann to Juve, with the pair both formerly playing for Aston Villa.
Not long after their split, the former Villa man publicly expressed how much he missed being at the club and their fanbase. This of course, did little to patch up and already strained relationship with Juve.
Douglas Luiz Next Club
Douglas Luiz’s next club odds on offshore sportsbooks suggest West Ham are now best positioned for his signature, despite Everton showing more interest up to this point.
Despite Luiz’s personal preference being for a return to Villa, his former employers have show no indication that they intend to re-sign him.
West Ham’s new-found position as favorites for his signature is likely down to Luiz communicating a preference for a London-based club, particularly with Villa closing the door on a return.
Although Juventus will be hoping for a quick resolution to his future, they are also eager to at least cover the cost of his amortized fee, which stands at $45 million.
Any fee below this would result in Juventus incurring a loss on the transfer.
Luiz’s market value has plummeted since arriving last summer, from a high of $70m just before making the switch to Serie A, now to just $30m at the time of writing.
Therefore, Premier League suitors may be in a position to try and negotiate a lower fee, given Juve’s desperation to cover their losses, and also shift on a wayward player who is still collecting $180,000 per-week in wages.
