According to a report from Calciomercato, Aston Villa could offer Juventus the opportunity to sign Ian Maatsen in a swap deal that will see Douglas Luiz move the other way. The Dutch full-back could end up pushing for a move away, and with the Old Lady looking to bolster the left flank of their defence, Villa could look to make the most out of this situation.
Luiz, who was a part of the Villa setup from 2019 to 2024, returned to the club in January on a short loan spell. While his contract with the Old Lady runs until the summer of 2029, the move didn’t work out for him, and he has no future at the Italian club.
After a failed loan spell at Nottingham Forest in the first half of the season, Luiz has returned to Villa Park to revive his career. The 27-year-old has had an immediate impact at his former club. He has started in their last three league outings, and Emery seems quite impressed with his overall gameplay.
On the back of his impressive start, Villa are now seriously considering securing his services on a permanent basis. They do have a buy option worth €25 million plus another €3 million as add-ons. However, Villa are looking at a different option at this point.
They are considering offering Maatsen in a deal to sign the Brazilian international. The 23-year-old is frustrated by the lack of minutes under Emery. Since he has started less than half of their games, the Dutch full-back now seems ready to push for a move away.
He is not an undisputed starter in the team; as a result, he could end up leaving in the summer. Villa are ready to cash in on him, and they are even considering offering him to Juventus, who are on the lookout for new full-backs amidst Andrea Cambiaso’s struggles.
While he remains a regular starter under Luciano Spalletti, his performances haven’t been good enough. As a result, the Old Lady are on the lookout for an upgrade in that position, and Maatsen could certainly help. Since both Maatsen and Luiz have a similar valuation, Villa are hoping they can get a swap deal over the line.
