Struggling former Aston Villa star addresses ‘desire to return’ amid ‘nostalgia’ comment

Struggling former Aston Villa star addresses ‘desire to return’ amid ‘nostalgia’ comment

A former Aston Villa star has spoken about his “desire to return” to the club after recently stating he “misses” it there and they are “always in my heart”.

Villa have had to get rid of some saleable assets in recent seasons to keep in line with FFP and PSR regulations. In the summer of 2024, Douglas Luiz was the biggest name to depart.

The Brazilian midfielder had scored 10 goals and assisted a further 10 in all competitions last season, before being sold to Juventus for £42.35million.

Luiz has struggled for minutes at Juventus, partially because of injuries. He has played 18 Serie A games this season, but only three from the start, and his time on the field has only just ticked over 500 minutes in the league.

Recently, he emphasised his love for former club Villa, stating: “I miss Aston Villa, guys. I miss playing at Villa Park, I miss everything, it’s always in my heart.”

But he has since been forced to clarify that his reason for making that statement was not for Villa to come and get him back.

“When I spoke about Aston Villa I was only referring to the affection for a place where I grew up as a man and a footballer, not the desire to return,” he said on Instagram.

“You must not confuse nostalgia with the desire to return. I love Juventus, and I’m totally focused on our goals.”

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The potential for Luiz to depart Juventus has been reported of late, though. It has been suggested that Manchester United are eyeing up the midfielder.

Indeed, there are said to be negotiations ongoing between Juve and United over a move for Rasmus Hojlund. The striker has been an underwhelming presence at Old Trafford, and the Italian outfit could take him off United’s hands.

It’s stated that amid their desire to land Luiz, Hojlund could be a useful makeweight, ensuring that Juve do let the midfielder go.

READ MORE: Premier League winners and losers: Amorim and Ange, Newcastle, Dias, Rusk, Beto, Jackson

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