Juventus Transfer Market: Sometimes They Come Back—Here’s the Surprising Fate of Douglas Luiz

Juventus will reconvene on July 13 at Continassa (without the players competing in the World Cup) to prepare for the upcoming season, but the club’s transfer activity is still up in the air. In particular, the Piedmont-based club is looking to revamp its midfield, an area to which Luciano Spalletti wants to give the utmost attention.

According to reports in *La Gazzetta dello Sport*, the right player to help Juve get back on track may already be on the roster: Douglas Luiz. The Brazilian midfielder is expected at Continassa on July 13: after a disappointing season spent on loan at Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa, the player wants to get his career back on track, and Spalletti might give him a chance.

Douglas Luiz will thus be tested as a playmaker, with the hope that he’ll rediscover the spark that convinced the Bianconeri to sign him for 50 million euros two years ago. If the experiment doesn’t work out, Juventus will go in search of a top-tier playmaker to sign before the transfer window closes: among the names mentioned are Stanislav Lobotka, whom Spalletti knows well, and Christ Inao Oulai, a rising star at Trabzonspor who made a name for himself at the 2026 World Cup.

Still looking to bolster the midfield, Juventus is considering Franck Kessié and Leon Goretzka: both could arrive on free transfers, but that would require the club to offload some midfielders first. Regarding Goretzka, talks appear to have intensified in recent hours. The German midfielder has returned from North America following Germany’s disappointing performance at the 2026 World Cup and is considered a priority by Spalletti, who is looking for charisma and physicality in midfield. Interest from English clubs has cooled, and the Turin-based club has stepped back into the fray, re-establishing contact with the player’s agents. Juve wants to understand his financial demands before making an initial offer.

The Kessié option also appears to be a real possibility. The former Milan midfielder impressed with the Ivory Coast at the 2026 World Cup, and with his contract with Al-Ahli having expired on June 30, he is now available on a free transfer. When asked about Juventus’ interest, the player himself didn’t rule it out: “There’s talk about Juventus; I’ve read about it too. I can say one thing: I’d be a great signing. I’m in good shape and, above all, a free agent. It’s hard to ask for more.”