Everton should push Juventus to sell Brazilian star

The former Aston Villa midfielder doesn't appear to be part of the Italian giants' plans moving forward.
Douglas Luiz of Juventus celebrates during the UEFA...
Douglas Luiz of Juventus celebrates during the UEFA... | SOPA Images/GettyImages

Everton have reportedly checked in on Douglas Luiz, who moved to Juventus last summer after five seasons with Aston Villa.

The Brazilian only played 893 minutes for the Italian club after the move, although much of that was due to nagging injuries throughout much of the campaign. And although he did travel with the team for the Club World Cup, he played just 45 minutes.

The move would be another big one for Everton, who are on the verge of spending big money to bring in young French striker Thierno Barry, but even with Idrissa Gana Gueye's return confirmed, midfield is still a massive need for the Blues.

And, to be fair, Luiz is a much different player than Gana. While the Senegal international is more defensive-minded, the Brazilian could function more as a box-to-box player, as his ability to progress the ball and make key passes are among his chief attributes.

On top of that, until he joined Juventus, Luiz showed himself to be a useful goal scorer from midfield, logging six and nine goals in back-to-back Premier League seasons at Villa.

The price, according to reports, looks to be around €25 million, which, for a 27-year-old coming off a tough, injury-riddled season, feels a little rich. But if Everton want to win the race for his signature, which also features Fulham and Manchester United, they may not be able to afford to mess around in their attempts to get the price down.

For a club that is clearly on the hunt for more goals, and having solidified the spine of its defense by bringing Gana back and extending Jarrad Branthwaite's contract, Everton may need to start splashing some cash.

Everton could create a dynamic midfield with Gana and Luiz manning the engine room.