Everton’s summer rebuild is picking up pace, and midfield is a clear area of focus.
With the likes of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Abdoulaye Doucouré and Ashley Young all leaving at the end of their contracts, the Blues are working to refresh their squad ahead of the new campaign.
David Moyes has been handed greater transfer flexibility under the Friedkin Group’s ownership, and while Everton will not spend extravagantly, they are being bold.
One of the names linked in recent weeks is John McGinn, who could leave Aston Villa after an impressive campaign that saw Unai Emery’s side reach the Champions League quarter-finals.
The 30-year-old Scotland international made 49 appearances in all competitions last season, tallying four goals and six assists, and remains a respected leader at the Midlands club.
On paper, McGinn offers experience, work rate, and a level of maturity that Everton’s midfield currently lacks. While he might seem like the safe choice, the club’s recruitment team appear to be targeting a player with greater quality and long-term upside.
A midfielder with a proven Premier League track record, a broader skill set, and the potential to immediately lift the technical standard at Goodison Park.
Everton targeting a midfield upgrade
According to journalist Gianni Balzarini, the club are exploring a deal for Douglas Luiz, who is expected to leave Juventus after a torrid time in Turin.
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As per Balzarini, Luiz’s agent is currently in England and “touring English clubs”, albeit with the Toffees said to be the frontrunners in the hotly-contested race:
“Everton has an advantage over other teams. There’s a feeling that the deal could be concluded soon.”
The 26-year-old joined the Italian giants from Aston Villa in a €50m (£42m) deal last summer but failed to register a goal or assist across 27 appearances and missed 20 games due to injuries.
After failing to report for the first day of pre-season, Juventus are now prepared to offload the Brazilian for a fee in the region of €40m (£34m). Despite his underwhelming stint in Serie A, there is no doubt about Luiz’s pedigree.
His five-year spell in the Premier League with Villa made him one of the most highly rated central midfielders in the division – a player equally capable of controlling tempo, breaking up play, and progressing the ball up the pitch.
Statman Dave once described him as an “engine in midfield,” and his numbers back that up.
Why Luiz can bring more to Everton’s midfield
When compared with McGinn, Luiz comes out on top in almost every key metric from their respective most recent seasons in the Premier League.
According to FBref, Luiz completed passes at a higher rate (85.7% vs. 81.9%), created more shots per 90 (3.52 vs. 3.08), and registered more tackles (1.74 vs. 1.34), blocks (0.96 vs. 0.89), and defensive interventions in the middle third (0.81 vs. 0.57).
He combines technical security with defensive steel, offering balance and fluidity – qualities that Moyes’ midfield setup could sorely benefit from.
Crucially, Luiz’s best form came in the Premier League. This isn’t a case of betting on potential. At his peak, he was dictating midfield battles against some of the league’s best sides.
He also has youth on his side. At 27, he’s three years younger than McGinn and entering what should be the prime of his career, having already registered 38 goals and assists in 175 Premier League outings.
That would represent a coup for the Merseyside club, particularly in light of expected competition from elsewhere in the Premier League.
While Luiz struggled to establish himself under Igor Tudor and Thiago Motta at Juventus, the dip in form is being viewed as circumstantial rather than terminal.
Juventus’s systemic issues and tactical instability last season made it difficult for any one player to truly shine, a belief that is shared by legendary former coach, Fabio Capello:
“He’s one of those players who now don’t consider themselves good, but perhaps they weren’t given the conditions to perform at their best.”
From Everton’s perspective, this is an opportunity. Luiz is proven, hungry to re-establish himself, and potentially available at a cut-price. While McGinn would add fight and familiarity, Luiz offers control, versatility, and greater upside.
Midfield has long been a problem area for Everton. Despite Idrissa Gueye extending his contract, the club’s depth remains thin.
Luiz would bring a blend of technical precision and combativeness – the kind of profile capable of transforming the way Everton build play from the back and transition through midfield.
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If Everton can close a deal, they’ll not only have landed a better player than McGinn, they’ll have done so ahead of several top-flight rivals.
That would send a signal that under the Friedkin Group, Everton aren’t just surviving anymore, they’re planning to compete.
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