Nottingham Forest’s summer transfer window has sprung into life after a tentative start that left manager Nuno Espírito Santo frustrated.
Following a campaign in which Forest looked destined for the Champions League, they won just one of the final five matches and ultimately finished seventh.
However, they will play in the Europa League next season following Crystal Palace’s demotion to the Conference League after an unsuccessful appeal to CAS.
As the club continues to build a squad capable of competing on all four fronts, they have signed the likes of Dan Ndoye, Igor Jesus, Jair Cunha, James McAtee, Omari Hutchinson, and Arnaud Kalimuendo.
Alongside these additions, Forest are close to finalising a new contract with Callum Hudson-Odoi and are actively pursuing Manchester City’s Rico Lewis.
After opening the season with a 3-1 win over Brentford at the City Ground, Forest now turn their attention to a trip to Selhurst Park to face Palace next Sunday.
Forest closing in on a major midfield signing
The team’s summer activity demonstrates a clear intent to add depth and quality across the pitch.
Amid these moves, one deal in particular has captured attention, as Forest edge closer to signing a midfielder whose Premier League pedigree and technical qualities could make him a transformative addition.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Italian outlet Gazetta reports that Juventus midfielder Douglas Luiz is eager to return to the Premier League.
Personal terms with the player are already reportedly agreed, with only a deal between the clubs remaining.
Juventus, meanwhile, are hoping to recover as much of the £42m they spent on Luiz as possible, as the move would likely allow them to bring back Randal Kolo Muani to Turin after a successful loan spell last season.
Everton and West Ham have also been linked with the midfielder, but Forest appear to have emerged as frontrunners with Gazetta noting that ‘Luiz is increasingly close to Nottingham Forest.’
What Luiz could bring to Nottingham Forest
Luiz’s time in Turin hasn’t been without its challenges.
He has struggled to establish himself as a regular under Igor Tudor and predecessor Thiago Motta, making only six league starts and 841 minutes last season, ranking 19th in minutes among Juventus players.
He played just 45 minutes at the Club World Cup, missed 20 games due to injury, and went without a goal or assist in 27 appearances.
Off the pitch, his behaviour raised concerns at Juventus, with the player fined for failing to report to pre-season training on the first day.
Despite these setbacks, Luiz remains a highly regarded talent.
John McGinn has previously described him as “world-class,” reflecting the midfielder’s ability to influence matches with his passing, energy, and positional intelligence.
For Forest, his addition would bolster midfield options, providing both defensive solidity and a progressive outlet capable of linking play and driving attacks.
Luiz brings a blend of defensive discipline and forward-thinking qualities, making him a player well-suited to complement Morgan Gibbs-White in Forest’s midfield.
While Gibbs-White thrives in more advanced and creative positions – ranking in the 80th percentile for progressive passes per 90, 91st percentile for passes into the final third, and 89th percentile for through balls – Luiz offers balance, energy, and control in deeper areas.
Looking back at his Premier League season with Aston Villa in 2023/24, Luiz averaged 3.92 shot-creating actions per 90 and 71.27 passes attempted per 90, with an 85.7% pass completion rate.
He contributed defensively with 1.74 tackles per 90, including 0.81 in the midfield third, and 0.96 blocks per 90, while completing 2.15 progressive carries and 5.49 progressive passes per 90.
His dribbling also remained effective, with 1.40 successful take-ons per 90, illustrating his willingness to drive forward into attacking areas.
At Juventus, despite limited minutes, Luiz’s technical output remained solid.
He ranked fifth for passing accuracy (89.5%) and fifth for successful dribble rate (72.2%) while creating three big chances.
These figures underline a midfielder who, when fit and motivated, can dominate possession, break lines, and protect the backline effectively.
Forest’s interest in Luiz aligns with their broader strategy of strengthening key areas of the pitch to compete in Europe.
A midfield pairing with Gibbs-White would combine creativity and forward momentum with structure, energy, and defensive awareness.
Gibbs-White excels at linking the attack with 4.09 passes into the final third per 90 and 0.64 through balls per 90, while Luiz provides the platform to maintain balance and cover the team defensively.
The move also represents a statement from Forest’s hierarchy.
By pursuing a player with international experience and Premier League familiarity, the club are signalling their ambition, not just domestically but also in European competition.
Luiz’s signing would complement the arrivals of Mctee, Hutchinson, Kalimuendo, and others, providing a midfield capable of both resilience and progression in possession.
If completed, the deal could be transformative. Luiz has proven he can perform in the Premier League, while his physical and technical qualities provide the versatility that Forest will need across multiple competitions.
He may have struggled for game time at Juventus, but the potential impact at Forest is clear: pairing his energy, passing, and defensive intelligence with Gibbs-White’s creativity could allow Nuno’s side to dominate the midfield, link defence and attack seamlessly, and compete more consistently in the Premier League and Europa League.