Tottenham Hotspur absolutely have to sign at least one star-caliber center midfielder before the summer 2025 transfer window comes to a conclusion, and with Xavi Simons set to join Chelsea and dream defensive midfield target Adam Wharton wholly unavailable on the market this year, Spurs are going to have to pluck someone from the veteran pile instead.
Spurs have waited too long to make their move in the middle of the park, and even though they may want to sell to buy first, the reality is that heading into the 2025/26 Premier League and Champions League seasons with the same midfield as last year is akin to throwing in the towel.
As optimistic as Tottenham may be about the coming season with Thomas Frank in charge, the only real upgrade from last season's 17th-placed Premier League squad is winger Mohammed Kudus, who is a potential difference-maker but, like so many Spurs players, is totally raw. And any squad with raw attackers need a strong base to build on in midfield, which Tottenham don't have.
A better candidate than Joao Palhinha
With options flying off the proverbial shelf, Tottenham now have an intriguing option at one of Europe's elite clubs opening up to them - and he's a more attractive option to Spurs than another former Premier Leaguer in Joao Palhinha.
According to a report from Fabrizio Romano, Juventus defensive midfielder Douglas Luiz is unsurprisingly upset with his situation in Turin and is pushing for a transfer out of Italy. Luiz now has a "broken" relationship with the Bianconeri and will "surely leave" this summer transfer window. His desire is to move back to the Premier League.
The Brazilian international has been an unmitigated disaster for Juventus, failing to fit the league or team with his profile, which is more athletic than technical. Luiz, however, was fantastic in the Premier League and legitimately one of the best all-around No. 6's for Aston Villa, thriving in a role where he could function as a box-to-box destroyer and even an auxillary goal-scorer.
Tottenham don't have many options left, but Luiz is one of the few legitimate ones. A former Arsenal transfer target, resurrecting Luiz's best days in the Premier League would thus feel extra sweet for the Lilywhites. The 27-year-old is in the prime of his career, and, like Manuel Locatelli and Teun Koopmeiners, is too talented to be wasting his best years toiling away on a dysfunctional Juventus side.