Brazil Midfielder Douglas Luiz becomes Thiago Motta’s First Big Signing at Juventus

Juventus have signed Aston Villa's Brazil midfielder Douglas Luiz © Sameer Al-DOUMY / AFP
Juventus have signed Aston Villa's Brazil midfielder Douglas Luiz © Sameer Al-DOUMY / AFP
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Brazil Midfielder Douglas Luiz becomes Thiago Motta’s First Big Signing at Juventus

Juventus have signed Aston Villa's Brazil midfielder Douglas Luiz © Sameer Al-DOUMY / AFP
Juventus have signed Aston Villa's Brazil midfielder Douglas Luiz © Sameer Al-DOUMY / AFP

Brazil midfielder Douglas Luiz is Thiago Motta’s first big signing at Juventus.

The Turin club announced Sunday that it’s paying a 50 million euro ($54 million) transfer fee for Luiz, who is currently playing for Brazil at the Copa America, and signed him to a five-year contract.

Motta, who coached Bologna to a Champions League spot, was recently named Juventus coach after Massimiliano Allegri was fired.

Luiz joins Juventus from Aston Villa, where he scored 22 goals and provided 24 assists in 204 appearances.



Premier League Rejects City Request to Delay Next Season’s Games after Club World Cup

Football - Premier League - Newcastle United v Manchester City - St James' Park, Newcastle, Britain - September 28, 2024 Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola reacts. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Newcastle United v Manchester City - St James' Park, Newcastle, Britain - September 28, 2024 Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola reacts. (Reuters)
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Premier League Rejects City Request to Delay Next Season’s Games after Club World Cup

Football - Premier League - Newcastle United v Manchester City - St James' Park, Newcastle, Britain - September 28, 2024 Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola reacts. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Newcastle United v Manchester City - St James' Park, Newcastle, Britain - September 28, 2024 Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola reacts. (Reuters)

The Premier League has rejected Manchester City's request to postpone the first two games of the 2025-26 season to help the players recover after their FIFA Club World Cup campaign in the US, the club's manager Pep Guardiola said on Friday.

City and Chelsea are the two English clubs who have qualified for the expanded month-long Club World Cup set to start on June 15. The Premier League's season will begin in August.

An increasingly packed football calendar has been a concern among a growing number of players and managers. A report by global players' union FIFPRO said some players get only 12% of the year to rest.

The Premier League did not immediately respond to a request for comment outside regular business hours.

City midfielder Rodri said in September that players could be close to strike action over the time they are required to play. A knee ligament injury has since put him out for the season.

"I don’t know if we will play more games than the treble year (2022-23)... maybe we'll play less games," Guardiola told reporters.

"The Premier League has not allowed us to postpone the first two games for our recovery. Thank you so much. They don't postpone these games so that will be the moment of, oh, what do we have to do?"

He said the Club World Cup will make it even more difficult for clubs to manage player workload.