Nottingham Forest face a tricky decision over how best to use Douglas Luiz during the second half of the season.
The Brazilian was signed on loan from Juventus last summer, with an obligation to buy for about £25million at the end of the campaign.
Yet it is believed that this clause will become active only if Luiz makes a certain number of appearances, thought to be around the 15 mark, and if he plays a substantial part of those matches. Luiz started Thursday’s Europa League win at Utrecht but was taken off at half-time – the third time this has happened this season.
The first time, during Forest’s 2-2 draw at Real Betis in September, Luiz had picked up an injury and did not play again for a month. On the second occasion, a 2-0 defeat at Bournemouth in October, the midfielder was on a yellow card. And in Utrecht, boss Sean Dyche said Luiz had trained for only two days after another injury absence.
While there is no doubting the quality of the Brazilian, who was a key member of the Aston Villa team who finished fourth in the Premier League in 2023-24, he has struggled for form and fitness ever since he moved to Juventus at the end of that campaign.
His early weeks at Forest were disrupted by injury and his last league game was the 2-2 draw with Manchester United at the City Ground on November 1. Luiz was named in the starting XI by Dyche but went off injured after 14 minutes.
With Ryan Yates injured and Ibrahim Sangare heading to the Africa Cup of Nations with the Ivory Coast later this month, Forest are suddenly short in central midfield. The return of Luiz would be timely though given there has been so much change since he arrived, Forest still have a call to make on whether to pursue a permanent transfer.
Luiz was signed when Nuno Espírito Santo was in charge even though the Portuguese never asked for him. The 27-year-old was favoured by Ange Postecoglou but Dyche’s long-term view on him is unclear.
Yet Daily Mail Sport revealed on November 25 that Forest will try to strengthen in midfield in January and had targeted Brighton’s Jack Hinshelwood. James Garner of Everton is another Forest admire though given Garner is playing regularly under David Moyes, any move this winter seems unlikely.
Where Luiz slots in remains to be seen. Elliot Anderson is a guaranteed starter in the middle and Sangare, Yates and Nicolas Dominguez can all play there. How regularly Luiz plays – and for how long – will give a clue to Forest’s long-term intentions.
