Credit: Imago

Harri Burton

Wed 6 May 2026 13:15, UK

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Unai Emery would have hoped for a fairytale return with Douglas Luiz, but that has been far from the truth at Aston Villa.

The 27-year-old has accumulated just 29 minutes of football in the Villans’ last four Premier League matches, going from starter to fringe player in a matter of weeks at Villa Park.

Many supporters wanted the Brazilian to be signed on a permanent deal at the end of the 2025-26 campaign, but if the manager has anything to do with it, his signing looks highly unlikely at this point.

Villa’s transfer chiefs will be working hard behind the scenes, but sadly for those who played a part in their winter additions, Luiz’s return to B6 has done little to inspire ahead of the summer.

Amadou Onana could miss Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest

Luiz’s last start came in the 2-0 win over Lille in the Europa League, starting alongside Amadou Onana in the centre of the pitch, with Lamare Bogarde bumped to the right-back spot.

This time around, however, the midfield partnership could look very different. Onana missed the defeat to Tottenham at the weekend, having gone off injured in the semi-final first leg against Nottingham Forest.

Huge concerns have been raised over his fitness ahead of a must-win second leg in the Europa League, but the 24-year-old was nowhere to be seen during full team training on Wednesday, 6 May.

The Villans win far more games than they lose when Onana is in the team, so Emery will surely be sweating over his fitness. And this is where Luiz’s future could be sealed by the manager.

Douglas Luiz has no future at Villa Park

There are also question marks over John McGinn, who wasn’t risked against Spurs, but he is far more likely to return to the starting lineup for the Europa League semi-final.

With Onana the most unlikely, Emery has a huge decision to make in the centre of the park, and it could have huge consequences already ahead of the summer transfer window.

Villa’s move for Luiz could depend on Champions League qualification, but should Youri Tielemans be partnered by Ross Barkley or Bogarde, it would suggest that Emery isn’t the biggest fan of him.

The Brazilian has been lost in his career ever since leaving Villa Park for the first time, and it doesn’t appear that B6 is the solution to getting his football back on track this summer.