Steven Gerrard’s Villa Park revamp is in full swing as the Frenchman is going to be his second signing as manager following the arrival of Philippe Coutinho from Barcelona.
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Aston Villa have agreed a GBP 25 million deal to sign full-back Lucas Digne from Everton as Steven Gerrard close in on his second buy of the January transfer window. It follows several days of negotiations, in which Villa have beaten off interest from Chelsea, Newcastle and West Ham. Digne is due in Birmingham later on Wednesday to undergo medical. The 28-year-old, who has three-and-a-half years remaining on his Everton contract, informed the club he wants depart Goodison Park this month.
Lucas Digne to Aston Villa from Everton, here we go! Agreement reached for €27m fee. Permanent move. Personal terms agreed today morning. ??? #AVFC
Digne is now traveling to Birmingham and will undergo his medical today. Another big one for Gerrard after Philippe Coutinho. pic.twitter.com/Gzm9y9tOYs
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 12, 2022
He has been attracting plenty of interest this month after falling out with Toffees boss Rafa Benitez. And now, Steven Gerrard’s Villa Park revamp is in full swing as the Frenchman is going to be his second signing as manager following the arrival of Philippe Coutinho from Barcelona.
As long as there are no late complications the French left-back could join the squad for Saturday’s match against Manchester United at Villa Park. Villa are also reportedly interested in signing Brighton midfielder Yves Bissouma as he enters the final 18 months of his contract at the Amex Stadium.
Gerrard has only three central defenders- Ezri Konsa, Tyrone Mings and Kortney Hause- at his disposal, therefore he will be hoping to bring in a center-back before the January transfer window ends. Hause’s contract expires at the end of the campaign though Villa have an option to extend it for a further year but Gerrard is looking for an established player to challenge Konsa and Mings.
According to Sky Sports News, Everton wanted GBP 30 million for Digne, one of Benitez’s star players who arrived from Barcelona in 2018.
“He’s been very clear,” Benitez said. “I want to ask a question to every fan and former players – what Peter Reid would do if a player comes out and says he doesn’t want to be there?
“That’s it – simple. I’ve had a couple of conversations with him and he told me what he thought so what do you expect the manager to do when a player is thinking of leaving?”
Everton have already signed Ukraine international Vitaliy Mykolenko as a replacement for Digne. The Toffees also brought in Rangers and Scotland right-back Nathan Patterson in a deal worth GBP 16 million.
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