Lucas Digne explains that he could not turn down Everton even if it meant leaving his Barcelona “childhood dream” behind.
Lucas Digne has enjoyed a superb start to life at Everton.
Following his move from Barcelona for an initial fee of £20million, the France international has made 10 Premier League appearances for the Toffees.
Digne’s performances have not only helped Everton into the top half of the table, but have also seen the left-back earn a recall to the Les Bleus squad.
With club football taking its traditional November pit stop for international action, Digne reflected on his time at Goodison Park so far.
The 25-year-old admitted that leaving the mighty Barca was a difficult decision, but also felt that Marco Silva’s project was too good a proposition to turn down – even if the Blaugrana wanted him to stay.
“I wasn’t really planning to leave Barca and they were not looking to sell me, but when I spoke to Everton manager Marco Silva on the phone I got this special feeling,” Digne told Goal.com.
“He really light a fire inside of me and I thought: ‘Wow! I really want to play for this club and manager’.
“Then I went to Barca and asked them to please let me go. After a few talks, they accepted, that this was my wish. I am thankful for that, because now I feel happy at Everton.
“Barca was my childhood dream, so yes, it was difficult to leave, because I could have stayed to continue a great life in the club and the city. The club wanted me to stay.”
Digne’s statement will come as music to Everton fans’ ears and, with his contract running until 2023, the Toffees are sure to see plenty more of their new hero.
Silva’s charges are next in action on 24 November against Cardiff City, while Digne could feature for France against the Netherlands on Friday night and Uruguay next Tuesday.
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