Everton step aside as Nottingham Forest set to seal €35m transfer deal – sources

Nottingham Forest are on the verge of sealing a deal for Juventus midfielder Douglas Luiz, sources have told TEAMtalk, with The Tricky Trees getting a helping hand from Premier League rivals Everton in their pursuit of the former Aston Villa ace.

Luiz starred for Aston Villa during his time in England and established himself as one of the best midfielders in the Premier League. There was no surprise when Juventus came calling and signed the Brazil international midfielder in the summer of 2024.

The 27-year-old was expected to be a success in Serie A, but the midfielder failed to establish himself in Juventus’ starting line-up and was a peripheral figure in the team.

Luiz made only 27 appearances for Juventus last season, with just three starts each in Serie A and the Champions League.

Earlier this summer, Juventus decided to cut ties with Luiz and offload him for good.

TEAMtalk’s transfer correspondent, Fraser Fletcher, reported on July 30 that Everton were in pole position for Luiz, with the Toffees keen on strengthening their midfield.

However, Forest subsequently stepped up their pursuit of Luiz and agreed on personal terms with the former Manchester City prospect.

TEAMtalk can now reveal that Forest are on the verge of completing the deal for Luiz and signing him from Juventus.

Sources have told TEAMtalk that today is expected to be the decisive day for Luiz’s move from Juventus to Forest.

In fact, the two clubs are expected to meet this morning to finalise the last details of the transfer.
The agreement is set to be a permanent move, with figures above €35million (£30.2m, $40.7m) and close to Juventus’ original request of €40m (£34.5m, $46.5m).

The Brazilian midfielder has always been clear about his preference: he wanted a return to the Premier League.

At first, Everton seemed like a serious option, but they stopped making moves several weeks ago, leaving Forest as the main contender.

In recent days, Luiz reached an agreement on personal terms with Forest, which was a key step in advancing the negotiations.

Now, the clubs are only working on the structure of the final package to ensure a deal is reached.

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