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Raphael Onyedika
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Juventus Show Interest in Raphael Onyedika With Douglas Luiz Locked in Talks With Everton

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Juventus are prepared to sanction the sale of Douglas Luiz, just 12 months after his arrival from Aston Villa. An underwhelming season has left Juve looking at future-proof replacements, and Club Brugge’s Raphael Onyedika has been identified as a chief target.

Is Douglas Luiz Leaving Juventus?

By all accounts, there appears to be a strong possibility that Juventus cut their losses and let Douglas Luiz leave this summer.

The Brazilian, who only arrived last season in a high-profile $60 million switch from Aston Villa, has endured a difficult start to life in Turin.

He made just 19 appearances across the campaign, with only three of those coming as a starter. He also featured for just 37 minutes after Igor Tudor took over the hot seat in Juve’s final nine-game stretch.

Juventus captain Manuel Locatelli has locked down the defensive midfield position, leaving very few opportunities for Luiz to prove his worth.

A disastrous season has left the new-look Juventus hierarchy assessing damage limitation, after a heavy initial investment. Luiz’s transfer value has already plummeted from a high of $80m prior to his move, to just $35m at the time of writing.

Reports in both Italy and England have confirmed that Juventus have set an asking price and are open to selling Luiz, should an important bid arrive.

Everton are said to have contacted the Old Lady to gauge the feasibility of a deal this summer. Despite Luiz’s current contract running through to 2029, Juventus are prepared to accept an offer of around $40m, in order to cut their losses as soon as possible.

Juventus Eye Raphael Onyedika to Replace Luiz

It is no secret that Juventus are operating on the breadline this summer, with the club still reeling from a precarious financial position two seasons ago.

Nevertheless, Juventus transfer news has largely focused on player sales this window, with a view to gathering capital to reinvest in arrivals.

FootItalia can reveal that Juventus sent scouts to watch Club Brugge gem Raphael Onyedika, with the pretext that they may be forced to find a replacement for Luiz.

Onyedika has commanded the attention of a host of Europe’s elite, particularly in Italy, with AC Milan and Atalanta also known to be strong admirers.

Juventus hope that existing relationships with Onyedika’s agents, CAA Stellar — who represent Arkadiusz Milk and new signing Pierre Kalulu — will aid in their approach.

Onyedika had been on Everton’s radar earlier in the window, but it appears the Toffees are now focused on bringing in Luiz, which inadvertently opens the door for Juventus to make an approach.

The Nigeria international has been a mainstay in Brugge’s first team since making the switch three years ago, but the 24-year-old is reportedly keen to test himself at an elite club.

Brugge have allowed his contract to slowly run down, with no indication that it will be renewed with fresh terms. He has just one year left on his current deal, meaning he is available for a reasonable price — a bid of around $35 million would likely be enough to turn Club Brugge’s head.

Onyedika is favored to leave Brugge this summer according to cash out betting sites, with the club eager to prevent a situation where one of their prized assets leaves for free next summer.

Charlie Rhodes

Charlie has built a deep portfolio across a wealth of sports websites, with a heavy focus on Europe's top five leagues. He has a long-standing interest in Serie A having grown up watching Football Italia on Channel 4 as a child. With extensive experience tailored towards news, long-form content and heavily researched features, Charlie has also garnered experience in several roles in the fintech and marketing sector.