Manchester City's January squad overhaul could lead to a loan move move for former midfielder Douglas Luiz, according to reports.
The Premier League champions hit their best form on Sunday 6-0 win over Ipswich Townsuggesting that their recent struggles may be a thing of the past.
City returned to the top four thanks to that victory, securing qualification for next season Champions League now seen as the primary target as Liverpool are 12 points clear at the top of the table with a game in hand.
Injuries to a number of key players have blighted City's season, leading to the club's worst run of results under Guardiola. The main absence has been in the central midfield, where Ballon d'Or winner Rodri has been out since tearing his ACL in September – an injury that will happen excludes the Spanish for the remainder of the 2024/25 campaign.
Athletics report that City are looking to strengthen their squad with a January signing, potentially looking to lead Luiz, who spent two years at the Etihad Stadium before joining Aston Villa in 2019.
The Brazilian quickly became one of Villa's most important players, making 175 appearances Premier League games in five seasons, and he seemingly took the next step in his career by moving to Juventus last summer. But his move to Turin, which came about because of Villa's need to respect Premier League profit and sustainability rules, has not worked out.
Luiz can be allowed to leave Juventus on loan, although a move can be complicated by whether or not an obligation to buy is involved. As reported, City would prefer an outright loan, while Juventus would want to guarantee a future sale.
town have committed to strengthening Guardiola's squad in January and are closing in on three big-money signings. Defensive duo Abdukodir Khusanov and Vitor Reis are set to join from Lens and Palmeiras respectively, while a deal in the region of £70m is close to being completed for Eintracht Frankfurt striker Omar Marmoushwho has scored 15 goals in the Bundesliga this season.