The 2025-26 Serie A season is winding down, and while clubs are already mapping out their summer transfer strategies, Juventus may be facing yet another headache with Douglas Luiz. The Brazilian midfielder's journey since his big-money move from Aston Villa has been anything but smooth, and the latest reports suggest a familiar problem is brewing in Turin.

Juventus splashed out €50 million to bring Douglas Luiz to Italy at the start of the 2024-25 campaign, but the 27-year-old struggled to find his footing in Serie A. With only a handful of league starts in his debut season, he failed to convince the Bianconeri brass, leading to a loan move to Nottingham Forest. That deal included a conditional obligation to buy worth up to €31.5 million with bonuses, but Forest opted not to trigger the clause, cutting the loan short and sending him back to his former club, Aston Villa, in the January window.

The return to Villa Park came with an option to buy set at €25 million plus €3.5 million in potential add-ons. However, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Villa have already decided against activating that option. Despite a promising start—six consecutive Premier League starts after rejoining in January—Douglas Luiz has since fallen out of favor. He hasn't featured in the starting XI for the last five league matches or the club's past three Europa League outings, logging just 80 minutes of action since mid-March.

For Juventus, this is a financial tightrope. The report indicates the club needs to generate around €30 million from the midfielder to avoid a capital loss. But with underwhelming spells at three different clubs over the past 18 months, La Gazzetta warns that Douglas Luiz is shaping up to be a "big problem" for the Bianconeri this summer. As the transfer window approaches, all eyes will be on Turin to see how they navigate this tricky situation.