Leeds United are back in the Premier League, and manager Daniel Farke will be hoping to avoid the fate that befell last season’s promoted trio.
All three—Ipswich Town, Leicester City, and Southampton—were relegated straight back to the Championship after underwhelming campaigns. Much of their downfall was attributed to a lack of top-flight quality and a tactical stubbornness: all three persisted with fluid, possession-based styles that left them exposed against stronger opposition.
If Leeds are to survive, Farke will need to tweak his high-intensity, attack-minded approach that earned promotion—and, crucially, bolster his squad with Premier League-ready talent.
He’s already made a strong start. Slovenian international Jaka Bijol has arrived in a £15 million move from Udinese, while German striker Lukas Nmecha joins from Wolfsburg on a free transfer.
Now, the club is eyeing an even bigger name: Douglas Luiz.
Leeds Open Talks With Luiz
According to Italian outlet Calciomercato, Leeds have opened preliminary talks with Juventus midfielder Douglas Luiz over what would be a sensational switch to Elland Road this summer.
Luiz joined Juventus from Aston Villa last summer but has struggled for consistency in Serie A. He is now reportedly open to a return to the Premier League.
The report claims Luiz will definitely leave Turin, and that Leeds have already made contact about a potential deal. However, details such as his transfer fee and whether Leeds can afford his wages—reportedly £160,000 per week—remain unclear.
Luiz began his career in Brazil before joining Manchester City in 2017. Due to work permit issues, he never made a competitive appearance for City and was later sold to Aston Villa in a move that frustrated manager Pep Guardiola.
“We wanted him because in the last season we had a problem in that position because we didn’t buy a holding midfielder in the last three or four seasons,” Guardiola said at the time. “Douglas Luiz—we thought about that. 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 added: “He played in the pre-season last 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.”
Now, several years and a few clubs later, Luiz could finally make his mark in England’s top flight—perhaps not in sky blue, but in white.
