In a week when Douglas Luiz has been linked heavily with a return to the Premier League, West Ham United now find themselves sharing column inches with the Juventus misfit’s namesake; David Luiz.
And while a source has informed Hammers News that West Ham are not in talks with the former Aston Villa star – a stark contrast to reports coming out of Italy – it appears that the London Stadium outfit could have a key role to play in the future of a one-time Chelsea and Arsenal centre-back.
And worry not; the madcap, poodle-haired David Luiz is not on his way back to England with West Ham United.
The Hammers may have a rather unfortunate reputation for signing over-the-hill 30-somethings – Callum Wilson, for instance – but a 38-year-old David Luiz would obviously take that to parodying proportions.
The Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup champion is currently under contract with Fortaleza back home in Brazil. Though, according to Antenados do Futebol, David Luiz’s future is uncertain; A defender 15 years his junior lined up to take his place.
And, with Luizao ready to cut his West Ham career short this summer, the one-time Sao Paulo starlet is likely to be tempted by a return to Brazilian football and a switch to Fortaleza.
Fortaleza want Luizao as West Ham United misfit David Luiz’s successor
Antenados do Futebol claim that Fortaleza are ‘considering a replacement’ for David Luiz, only seven league appearances into his injury-hit spell with ‘Leao di Pici’.
In his place could come Luizao. An offer is ‘expected in the coming days’, the report adds, for a centre-back who has not played a single Premier League game since joining West Ham United from Sao Paulo two-and-a-half years ago.
URB News back up these claims, saying that negotiations between Fortaleza and Luizao are now underway.
“My company are willing to negotiate a loan or a permanent [deal], but it doesn’t depend only on me. Now, it depends on West Ham,” Luizao told reporters back in June. “West Ham are looking forward. If it is a loan, let it be with an [permanent option].
“They don’t rule out my going back there and even doing pre-season. But also if a deal comes up that is really good for them, they can include a purchase clause. Right now, everything is still very open.”
Luizao impressed in Poland after being shunned by Julen Lopetegui
Luizao has played solely for West Ham’s Under-21 side. He believes that the appointment Julen Lopetegui in 2024 stalled his progress, with the Spaniard also reluctant to give first-team minutes to fellow Brazilian Luis Guilherme.
“When I arrived [back in January 2023] my first six months were to be about adaptation, [playing] for the Under-21 team and then doing some training with the first-team. At the end of those six months, I would be integrated into the first team,” Luizao recalls.
“But then the months passed and I ended up with a coach who had some difficulties with young players and so on. Then, things ended up not happening.
“I tried to leave on loan to get minutes. Then, there were some internal difficulties within the club and I couldn’t leave. I spent two years kind of going back and forth between whether I would leave or not, until I managed to go to Poland.”
Luizao impressed in Poland with Pogon Szcecin during the second half of the 2024/25 campaign, playing his first competitive minutes since those Sao Paulo days.
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