Aston Villa wreck Chelsea transfer plans with advanced Digne talks

Aston Villa sit in 13th place on the Premier League log and are only 11 points away from the relegation zone. The team will need another 20 points to be mathematically safe from relegation. There has been rejuvenation in the side since the arrival of Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard. However, the former Rangers manager wants to bolster his squad to achieve bigger things.

Eyes on Digne

Reports suggest that Aston Villa is in advanced talks to bring Everton left-back Lucas Digne to Villa Park.

Sky Sports report that Aston Villa is close to agreeing to sign the Everton left-back. With interest coming from West Ham, Newcastle, and last season’s Champions League winners Chelsea, Villa has stolen a march on them. According to reports, there should be no issues in finalizing the deal. Reports suggest Digne favors a move to Villa, and it should ease any trouble with personal terms.

Asides from the issue of personal terms, there is the small matter of transfer fee to be sorted. Figures between £20 million and £25 million have been suggested.

Should Aston Villa manage to conclude the deal for Digne, it would be a huge statement of intent as they look to build the club back up. The appointment of Steven Gerrard in November was a major coup for the club, and the Liverpool legend has already gotten down to work. Gerrard has four wins from the eight Premier League matches he has managed, helping the club move away from the relegation zone.

Amid interest from several other Premier League sides, Gerrard was also successful in convincing former teammate Philippe Coutinho to join him on loan at Villa. Coutinho arrived from Barcelona and is Gerrard’s first signing at the club.

Digne problems at Everton

It looks like Digne’s days at Everton are over. The left-back is no longer a first-choice player at the club. Digne’s situation comes off the public falling out with Rafa Benitez last year. Before falling out, Digne was one of Everton’s star players, but that changed this season.

Digne let his frustration boil over, and he clashed with Benitez shortly before Christmas, where he condemned his defensive style of play. The left-back was frustrated by his limited impact on the team, and he blamed it on the counter-attacking football deployed by the Spaniard. Digne was also annoyed at being taken off set-piece duties.

Advice for Villa

Aston Villa are ahead of the other teams vying for the signature of the French international Lucas Digne. While it looks like a quality buy for Aston Villa, Benitez has warned that Digne could prove to be a disruptive influence in the dressing room. The Spaniard accused Digne of thinking more of his performances than the collective results.

Benitez said Everton needs a winning mentality, and individual stats mean nothing if the team fails.

Meanwhile, Gerrard continues on his Villa renaissance as his side continues to climb up the ladder. The climb looks likely to continue, as, in the coming months, the club has some winnable fixtures ahead.