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News
- 37 minutes ago
Douglas Luiz to Chelsea: Why a January transfer actually makes perfect sense
Cameron Smith
- Updated: 23 Jan 2026 17:34 GMT
- 5 min read
Analysis
Chelsea are reportedly exploring a move to sign Juventus midfielder Douglas Luiz on a short-term deal until the end of the 2025-26 season.
The Brazilian joined Nottingham Forest on loan last summer, however he has struggled for consistent game time since his arrival at The City Ground and it’s understood that his agreement with Sean Dyche’s side could be cut short this month.
Current ETV
Douglas Luiz
M, DM (C)
N. Forest
Douglas Luiz
M, DM (C)
N. Forest
ETV Range
€28.9M - €35.3M
Luiz, 27, has been unable to usurp Elliot Anderson and Ibrahim Sangare as Forest’s first choice midfield pairing, while Nicolas Dominguez also appears to be ahead of him in the pecking order.
The midfielder has only started five Premier League matches so far this season, although he has, admittedly, suffered two separate thigh issues since joining Forest. However, he has been an unused substitute in the club’s last two league fixtures and it’s evident that he is unlikely to work his way back into favour under Dyche.
Why Douglas Luiz to Chelsea makes sense
Although Luiz flopped at Juventus last term and has struggled for game time at Forest, who sit 17th in the Premier League, he could be a smart signing for Chelsea.
The Blues are expected to sign a big-money new central midfielder this summer, but they are unlikely to find a suitable deal before the winter transfer window closes on 3 February.
As a result, a short-term fix is the most viable solution for Rosenior’s side.
While Chelsea are, on paper, stacked in central midfield, Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez have been forced to play far too much football this season due to the fact their back-ups - Dario Essugo and Romeo Lavia - can’t stay fit.
Essugo was purchased from Sporting CP last summer with the sole aim of playing second fiddle to Caicedo and allowing the Ecuador star to be rested in easier fixtures. But, he hasn’t played a competitive game for Chelsea this season due to a thigh issue he suffered back in September.
Lavia, meanwhile, has been a disastrous signing due to his constant injury problems. The Belgium international is still yet to play an entire 90 minutes in a Chelsea shirt and he has only made seven appearances this season.
In November, reports suggested he would be sidelined for one month before returning to action, but he hasn’t been seen anywhere since. His fitness remains a mystery and Chelsea simply can’t rely on him as a squad option anymore.
As a result, they need a new central midfielder and, as mentioned earlier, signing their dream target will likely have to wait until this summer.
STATS
Douglas Luiz
M, DM (C)
N. Forest
Douglas Luiz
M, DM (C)
N. Forest
Therefore, landing an experienced option on loan for the remainder of the season is the best port of call.
Luiz fits that brief perfectly and although his form over the past 18 months hasn’t been particularly impressive, it wasn’t that long ago he earned his €51.5 million move to Juventus following a sublime season at Aston Villa.
It’s a low-risk deal for Chelsea and if it allows Caicedo and Fernandez to be rotated more frequently, it will almost certainly go down as a successful transfer.
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