Juventus has reportedly approached Manchester United with the opportunity to sign former Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz in the upcoming January transfer window.
The Brazilian, who joined the Italian club for £42.3 million in June, has struggled to secure a starting role under manager Massimiliano Allegri.
Luiz has started just two games this season and has been sidelined with a hamstring injury that has kept him out of the last eight matches.
Luiz’s lack of playing time at Juventus, despite his high-profile summer move, has led to speculation about his future.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Juventus sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli, who was in England this week for the club’s Champions League match against Aston Villa, used the opportunity to gauge Premier League interest in Luiz and fellow midfielder Nicolo Fagioli.
Giuntoli is said to have approached both Manchester United and Manchester City to discuss potential deals involving Luiz and 23-year-old Fagioli. Like Luiz, Fagioli has also found it difficult to secure regular playing time this season, starting just six of Juventus’ 18 games in all competitions.
With United’s transfer budget likely to be modest following significant spending in recent windows, Luiz’s potential move could present an intriguing option for Ruben Amorim.
Meanwhile, Manchester City is also eyeing a new central midfielder to cover for the absence of Rodri, with Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton and Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi reportedly on their radar.
Juventus is reportedly open to selling both Luiz and Fagioli in January, with Giuntoli exploring options to offload the pair in the next window. It remains to be seen whether United or City will pursue the two players as part of their winter transfer plans.
Manchester United is also expected to focus on a new left-back in January, after reports indicated that this area is one of their priorities for the upcoming window.
With competition for signings heating up, the future of both Luiz and Fagioli looks set to dominate the transfer discussions as the January window approaches.