Aston Villa sealed Alex Moreno’s transfer from Real Betis as Lucas Digne failed to convince Unai Emery. The full-back now has an uncertain future just one year after joining the team.
That is according to the Daily Mail, which reports Emery told Aston Villa to sign Moreno as he does not believe in Digne. The Villans would back the Spaniard’s plans with a £13m deal with Real Betis. He was his first signing with the 29-year-old penning a three-year contract.
Digne now faces being shelved in favour of Moreno 12 months after Steven Gerrard signed him from Everton for £25m. The Frenchman completed a mid-season move from Goodison Park in the England icon’s first window in charge. He also penned terms through to 2026.
Aston Villa beat a swarm of rival suitors to secure Digne’s services at Gerrard’s request. Sky Sports noted following the 29-year-old’s transfer that Chelsea, Newcastle United and West Ham United were also in contention. Digne also admitted that Gerrard was why he moved.
Gerrard would always go on to back Digne to start in the Premier League when the 46-cap dynamo was fit. He opened all 23 top-flight matches that were available to the left-back in the Liverpool legend’s time in charge. He also offered four assists but did not score a goal.
Digne may have to seek a transfer after failing to impress Emery at Aston Villa
Emery’s arrival in November afforded Digne the chance to show the new Aston Villa coach what he could offer ahead of the January transfer window. But after laying on an assist in the Spaniard’s first league game in charge, the Meaux native has not yet added any more.
Nonetheless, Emery continued to start Digne whilst available for top-flight fixtures through his first six games at the helm. But the Frenchman suffering a shoulder injury against Leeds United has since given Moreno a chance to come in and now cement his claim to the role.
So, Digne could be looking for another home at the end of the season if Moreno continues to impress Emery. He has now been in England for four-and-a-half years after Marco Silva’s Everton paid Barcelona £20m in August 2018 for a player who would stun the Portuguese.
“Lucas has everything we expect from a professional football player,” Silva told EvertonTV. “Everything, and I am not just talking about his quality – everyone knows his quality.
“I decided last season he was one of my first targets after I met with the Club’s owner and our director of football, I did not have doubts about his quality. And he showed that during the season. As an example, he has everything as a professional football player.”
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