Eager to relaunch eleven months before the 2022 World Cup, French international Lucas Digne (28), Everton defender since 2018, has left the Liverpool-based club to join Aston Villa, coached by Steven Gerrard, announced Thursday the two Premier League formations.
The transfer amount has not been disclosed but it amounts to around 30 million euros, according to an estimate from several British media. Until last year, Digne was an indispensable part of Everton, where he wore the captain’s armband on several occasions and made 127 appearances. He even extended his contract until June 2025.
Angry with Benitez
But the former left side of Lille, Paris SG, AS Rome and FC Barcelona was no longer in the plans of the coach of the “Toffees”, Rafael Benitez, who had not played him since the beginning of December. The latter criticized him in particular for being more interested in “his personal statistics” than in the club’s ranking, only 15th at mid-season.
“Everything must have an end. But I just did not expect it to end this way, “wrote the French in a message on Instagram even before the officialization of his transfer. “What happened and some of the things that were said about me over the past month made me very sad. But I won’t get into a war of words with anyone. The club don’t deserve this, the fans don’t deserve this and, to be honest, I don’t think I deserve it either, ”he added.
An “opportunity” for Aston Villa
Aston Villa, 14th in the English Championship, “jumped at the opportunity”, as Steven Gerrard acknowledged on the Birmingham club website. “Recruiting a player of this pedigree and quality during the January transfer window is a great addition for our team and his arrival excites me, like everyone connected with Aston Villa,” said the former player and Liverpool captain. .
This is another nice coup in this winter transfer window for Aston Villa, which has already attracted Brazilian attacking midfielder Philippe Coutinho, down at FC Barcelona, on loan.
Lucas Digne (43 caps) is one of the players most often called by Didier Deschamps since 2018: if he had not participated in the World Cup won by the Blues in Russia, he was however selected for the Euro last summer. The left side is one of the executives who should compete in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar next winter.