Tottenham Hotspur have finally bagged a new defensive midfielder in the summer 2025 transfer market, signing Bayern Munich veteran Joao Palhinha, a former star in the Premier League for Fulham, on a loan deal with an option to buy.
Palhinha brings a steely veteran presence to the Tottenham midfield, but Spurs need more than just Palhinha to compete at the highest levels of the Premier League and Champions League. The former Fulhman man gives Spurs a destroyer profile who can confidently win possession, but Spurs need someone with a little more attacking verve to help the likes of Lucas Bergvall and North London derby hero Pape Sarr out.
One player Tottenham have been looking at quietly over the past couple of weeks is Juventus defensive midfielder Douglas Luiz, who is another former Premier League star who made an unsuccessful jump to one of European football's most historic clubs abroad.
Luiz did not fit Juventus at all in the 2024/25 season, and his recent falling out at the club all but guarantees that he will be transferred. The thing is, Tottenham haven't shown a whole lot of interest in Luiz with most of their focus on Palhinha, and it looks like they will have some serious competition from a Premier League rival.
Tottenham could use another No. 6.
According to a report from transfer insider Matteo Moretto, Nottingham Forest, of all clubs, have shown interest in Douglas Luiz this summer transfer window. They would like to sign him to a loan deal that includes an option to buy, though, reportedly, this loan deal could activtate into an obligation to buy if certain conditions are met.
Tottenham have already signed Palhinha to a loan deal with an option to buy, so signing a second defensive midfielder to a deal with an option to buy may not be in the cards. But when you stack it all up, Luiz is a better athlete and overall player than Palhinha, as he had a clear knack for scoring goals from midfield when he was in the Premier League with Aston Villa.
Back then, Arsenal had Luiz on their transfer wishlist almost every year, and it was actually a bit of a surprise that he went to the more tactical Serie A with Juventus. A return to the Premier League is obvious, and if Tottenham want him, they surely won't want to lose to Nottingham Forest on the transfer market yet again.
Forest blocked Tottenham from signing their star attacking midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White, collapsing the transfer and signing MGW to an extension instead. And Spurs are still waiting for their revenge, so this could be a chance to do just that and sign a credible No. 6.