Lucas Digne exit verdict at Aston Villa emerges after transfer claim emerges from France
We’re delighted to welcome former Aston Villa full-back Alan Hutton as our exclusive columnist. Each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at Villa Park…
Alan Hutton expects Lucas Digne to stay at Aston Villa despite speculation linking him with a move away from B6 for most of the summer.
Digne, 30, has started all four of Villa’s matches this season, supplying four assists in the process.
The Frenchman has been in top form but he had been linked with a transfer away from Villa Park after Alex Moreno came in during January and knocked him out of Unai Emery’s starting line-up.
RMC Sport journalist Fabrice Hawkins reported on 20 August that OGC Nice were close to signing Digne but it doesn’t seem as though that move is likely to go ahead based on Hutton’s verdict on the left-back.
“It seems he’s going to stay,” Hutton told Villa News.
“There were opportunities for him to leave, Alex Moreno has come in and Pau Torres has played at left-back when Tyrone Mings was fit.
“I think they were looking at it, saying to themselves, ‘somebody has to move out’.
“He seemed to be the guy but he’s been given an opportunity and he’s played really well. He gets forward and creates chances and defends well as well so the manager obviously trusts him.
“You would think he’s now the main guy at left-back so it’s up to the others to try and push him.
“ Pre-season can be the best opportunity you have as a footballer.
“It can be difficult [to impress your manager] in the middle of the season as a squad player because you might come in for just one game or two games to show your worth when you might not have been playing for 12 weeks.
“Digne’s had this opportunity to get going over pre-season and he’s definitely in charge and on top at this moment in time.”
Moreno, 30, has missed every game so far this season due to injury while Mings’ injury has meant Torres is being deployed as a centre-half, rather than at left-back.
According to the Birmingham Mail, Moreno could return to training in the next two weeks after requiring surgery on a hamstring injury he sustained back in May.
In other Aston Villa news, an imminent multi-million exit from Villa Park has caused uproar.
