Be it because it’s the first international break of the 2026-27 season or just a matter of the summer transfer window being closed and the planning for the next transfer windows has already begun, the last couple of days has been something we commonly see in the month of September as front offices turn their attention to other matters with the market now closed.
You know, like contract matters.
First it was Tuttosport reporting about Juventus being set to open talks with Chico Conceição’s agent Jorge
Mendes over a new deal for the Juve No. 7. Now, another Portuguese speaker could well be one to hold some talks with the Juventus front office over a potential new contract — and one that is probably more of the surprising variety as compared to Conceição. That is because Tuttosport is now also reporting that Juve could open talks with midfielder Douglas Luiz over a new deal — something that is being sold as something that is both a reward for his strong start to the season under Luciano Spalletti but also for financial reasons.
It is a rather obvious one: Douglas Luiz, despite playing well to begin this new season, is being paid a net salary of around €5 million, that is something you better believe Juve would like to bring down a little bit. And thus the other reason to extend Luiz’s contract by a season — spread that sucker out and bring down some costs.
Would it be a bit (or more) of a knee-jerk reaction to say that he deserves a new deal simply thanks to how he has played so far this season? Well, yes of course. Luiz has been good, but certainly not to the extent just yet that makes you believe that he is everything that Juve’s midfield needs going forward two or three years from now.
So yes, this definitely has a secondary financial aspect to it.
Or, like Tuttosport said in the final line of their report about there potentially being talks for a new deal, “it’s like killing two birds with one stone.”
That it is — and maybe more from a financial standpoint more than anything as Juventus now can call themselves the club in Italy with the highest payroll once again.
Luiz has started all six of Juventus’ games in all competitions so far this season, and has been a much-needed presence as so many of Juve’s other midfielders have gotten hurt around him. Just a couple of months ago, it looked like he was returning to Turin with an uncertain future and could be on the way out once again. Now, with Spalletti relying on him, he’s playing the best football of his Juve career — sure, it’s a low bar compared to his season with Thiago Motta and Igor Tudor — and his back in the Brazil squad during the current international break.
It could the signs of the old Douglas Luiz starting to show its face again. And if that’s the case, then there’s a pretty good midfielder for Spalletti to continue to trust with such a large role on this team.
