Douglas Luiz - Confirmed confirmed

[Villafirst]

What about the player? Doug might well want to stay as he's guaranteed to start every game. If we finish top six that could help surely?

[Risso]

I see reports popping up saying Pep might move for Douglas in January? Not sure how reliable these are, but worrying as we certainly don't want lose him then. This deal is so skewed in City's favour. Perhaps we can offer him a new mega-bucks deal? Try and eliminate the buy-back clause.

We can't do that without Man City's agreement.  If they want him back in the summer, off he'll go.  If they don't, then we're going to have to stump up more cash for him to make it permanent, as otherwise they can just pay the buy back fee, and then probably sell him for double that to somebody else.

[Pat Mustard]

When was it reported that the buy-back clause is a matter of fact? Lots of people seem to quote it, but as far as I can recall this was all just press speculation and there is nothing concrete to say it even exists, much less what figure it might be.

[Risso]

When was it reported that the buy-back clause is a matter of fact? Lots of people seem to quote it, but as far as I can recall this was all just press speculation and there is nothing concrete to say it even exists, much less what figure it might be.

Some direct quotes from Guardiola:


"He would be here if a work permit were possible if the Premier League said it would be possible but now he is at Aston Villa," he said.


"We have an option to get him back but sometimes life is like this. We wanted him because last season we had problems in that position because we didn’t buy a holding midfielder.


"We wanted him before so we thought about it but the rules with the work permit meant it was not possible. I thought he would be here with the pre-season he played last year in the States, he was really good. I think he had the quality to play with us but he could not do it.


"The talent is always there, we’ll see at the end of the season what his level is but the quality is always there."

[Dante Lavelli]

I must admit I thought £25m was last summer’s price and it was £30-something now.
I’d say £30m is probably his market value at the moment (With the potential to go much higher) so we are hardly having our pants pulled down.

Ideally we should buy out the clause as the uncertainty is not ideal.

[fredm]

I am sure that with the way the current owners are conducting the way the club is run and their link up with Smith and Purslow, that the Luiz situation is kept permanently under review as to what is the best way forward for Aston Villa. If it is decided that Smith wants him here permanently then discussions will be held with City, but ultimately they would appear to hold the cards at this moment in time.

[OCD]

City strike me as the sort of club that are likely to blow their load of the latest up and coming player from Europe.

Doesn't the buy-back expire at the end of the second summer too?

[kippaxvilla2]

Dean has also stated in the past making the point it is in our favour.

[PaulWinch again]

City will almost certainly buy him back - even if it was just to sell him on - they’d be mad not to.

[dave.woodhall]

City will almost certainly buy him back - even if it was just to sell him on - they’d be mad not to.

What if he wants to stay?

[Dave]

City will almost certainly buy him back - even if it was just to sell him on - they’d be mad not to.

You'd hope that if that were the case then it would be us doing the buying.

[Exeter 77]

City will almost certainly buy him back - even if it was just to sell him on - they’d be mad not to.

You'd hope that if that were the case then it would be us doing the buying.

I know that is a potential outcome of the buyback clause but that really would be the murky world of transfers. Having to effectively buy our own player!

[SoccerHQ]

Luiz is nowhere near good enough for City. Pep needs a £100M  midfielder for  his team. There is no need for him to waste his time and money on an inadequate player.

He's better than Rodri and he came with a good reputation from Atletico Madrid. Fernandinho 36 end of the season and Gundogan been there a while aswell so certainly an area Man. City need to refresh soon.

It will always be a worry but think the buy back fee has gone up to 35m this season which is still a good 10m below his true valuation.

Mind you rumours are Pep will leave end of the season so that could help.

[paul_e]

Luiz is nowhere near good enough for City. Pep needs a £100M  midfielder for  his team. There is no need for him to waste his time and money on an inadequate player.

He's better than Rodri and he came with a good reputation from Atletico Madrid. Fernandinho 36 end of the season and Gundogan been there a while aswell so certainly an area Man. City need to refresh soon.

It will always be a worry but think the buy back fee has gone up to 35m this season which is still a good 10m below his true valuation.

Mind you rumours are Pep will leave end of the season so that could help.

I think you've misunderstood the point he was making.

[PaulWinch again]

City will almost certainly buy him back - even if it was just to sell him on - they’d be mad not to.

You'd hope that if that were the case then it would be us doing the buying.

Well yes.