Aston Villa sold star midfielder Douglas Luiz to Juventus this summer and one latest development has now shown how much they were fleeced.
Luiz was the driving force behind Aston Villa qualifying for the Champions League last season, as the Brazilian became an output machine from midfield with nine goals and nine assists in all competitions.
Unai Emery transformed the 26-year-old from a defensive midfield pivot to someone capable of impacting a game in the final third.
It was therefore sad to see Luiz join Juventus for £40 million this summer, in a deal that was sanctioned so that Villa didn’t breach Premier League spending rules.
In return, Emery captured winger Samuel Iling-Junior and midfielder Enzo Barrenechea in a package worth £18.5 million however, many believe the Birmingham giants drew the short straw, and one development explains why.
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Aston Villa midfielder Enzo Barrenechea set to join Valencia on loan
Aston Villa bolstered their midfield ranks this term, capturing Amadou Onana for £50 million from Everton and Ross Barkley from Luton Town for £5 million while Barrenechea, of course, arrived from Juve.
Whilst Onana starred in Villa’s opening two Premier League matches, Barkley made his debut from the bench against Arsenal.
Barrenechea, meanwhile, hasn’t made the matchday squad for either game and could now be loaned out, as Fabrizio Romano revealed that La Liga side Valencia want to take the Argentine on loan.
The 23-year-old, who flourished on loan at Serie A outfit Frosinone in 2023/24, needs to be playing regular football and that is something that can’t be promised at Villa Park.
Iling-Junior leaving on loan to Bologna and Barrenechea now on the verge of an exit has led many to believe that the duo were only captured to sanction the departure of Luiz, and they are perhaps correct.
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Villa were fleeced by Juventus in Douglas Luiz deal
Luiz is arguably a world-class midfielder. The Brazilian international has previously attracted interest from Arsenal and Liverpool, with Villa placing a £100 million price tag on his head.
At the start of this summer, the Villans had to accumulate enough funds before June 30th to comply with Premier League spending rules and that meant selling one of their prized assets.
For the figure they received and who they signed in return, Monchi was fleeced by the Italian giants in those negotiations.
To sign two players from Juventus, who aren’t in Emery’s immediate plans, can be put down as a rare mistake from the Villa hierarchy.
It can also be argued that the club haven’t sourced a direct replacement for Luiz, as while Onana has somewhat filled the void, his greatest attributes are completely different and will be sorely missed, especially when the Champions League gets underway.
