Ruben Amorim’s side have been offered Douglas Luiz in a possible swap deal (Picture: Getty)
Manchester United have been handed the opportunity to sign €50m Brazilian Douglas Luiz in a ‘sensational’ swap deal, according to reports.
It recently emerged that Ruben Amorim’s side tried to sign the Juventus midfielder on deadline day in the winter transfer window.
United were also linked to Luiz last summer, along with fellow Premier League sides Arsenal and Liverpool.
Luiz did not end up moving to Old Trafford on either occasion but according to Tuttosport, a transfer could be on the cards again when the next window opens in the summer.
The Italian outlet reports that Juventus are prepared to offer Luiz to United as part of a ‘sensational’ swap deal to sign Joshua Zirkzee.
Luiz has only been a Juventus player since June, having joined the Turin-based club from Aston Villa in a deal worth €50m (£42.35m).
But Juventus would be happy to let Luiz depart if United were prepared to offload Zirkzee in the opposite direction.
Douglas Luiz could be heading to Old Trafford in the summer (Picture: Getty)
Juventus’ interest in Zirkzee has been known for a while and is continuingto grow as Europe’s elite clubs make plans for the next summer window.
Zirkzee, recruited by United’s former head coach Erik ten Hag, has flopped since joining the Red Devils in a £36.5m move from Bologna in July.
The 23-year-old striker has only managed to produce five goals and two assists across 36 matches for United to date.
He did, however, score in United’s last game as they defeated Leicester City in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Friday.
Some outlets claimed in January that Zirkzee was keen to leave United after becoming frustrated and despondent at the Theatre of Dreams.
Football transfers expert Florian Plettenberg rubbished those claims, though, insisting that Zirkzee had no intention of leaving United and was instead keen to prove himself, with a strong belief in his own abilities.
Zirkzee branded ‘one of the worst to ever wear the Man Utd shirt’
Joshua Zirkzee has flopped since his£36.5m move to Man Utd (Picture: Getty)
Zirkzee has faced plenty of crticism from pundits this season, including from ex-Premier League midfielder Jamie O’Hara.
Speaking last month, O’Hara told Grosvenor Sport: ‘Joshua Zirkzee is one of the worst players I’ve ever seen in a Manchester United shirt.
‘It’s unbelievable that he’s playing for them. He’s an absolute imposter!’
Luiz could’ve been at the heart of Man City’s midfield
Douglas Luiz was previously owned by Manchester City (Picture: Getty)
Amid the reports that Luiz has been offered to United, it is interesting to note that he could currently be at the heart of Manchester City’s midfield.
City signed him in 2017 – but due to a complication in his work permit – he was eventually sold to Aston Villa after two years on loan at Girona.
‘He would be here if the work permit had been possible,’ Pep Guardiola said in 2019. ‘The work permit was not possible, so loan, loan, and [then] he’s at Aston Villa.
‘Sometimes life is like this. We wanted him because we had a problem in that position. But with the rules in England with the work permit, it was not possible.
‘So that’s why – or I think he would have been here. He played in the pre-season in the United States, and he was really good. I think he has the quality to play with us but he could not do that.’
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