Dan Bardell shares Aston Villa exit concern as Al-Hilal make fresh approach to sign Lucas Digne
We’re delighted to welcome Sky Sports journalist Dan Bardell as our exclusive Aston Villa columnist as each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at the club…
Dan Bardell wouldn’t want to see Lucas Digne leave Aston Villa after Al-Hilal have expressed an interest in signing him in the January transfer window.
The French newspaper L’Equipe reported on its website on Friday (12 January) that the Saudi Pro League club have made an approach for the 30-year-old.
It said they are also exploring a move for Raphael Guerreiro, with the Middle Eastern side seeking a loan-to-buy deal for the Bayern Munich fullback or Villa defender Digne.
Bardell believes the Villans are likely to review the France international’s situation in the summer as they could look to bring someone in on lower wages, with the left-back currently earning a reported £163,000 a week at Villa Park.
Speaking exclusively to Villa News, Bardell said: “He was a player I was not sure about in the summer and I felt like the move hadn’t worked out. I felt defensively, he wasn’t up to it. But I can hold my hands up and say that he’s had a really good season with consistent football.
“He’s been a mainstay in the Villa side with Moreno out and I would now actually be all for him staying, I wouldn’t want him to leave because I think him and Moreno offer different things, but they’re two good options to have at left-back.
“That competition for places, I know there’s some links with Marcos Acuna and I think something was pretty close with that in the summer because Villa expected Lucas Digne to go, but I’d be very reluctant to do that. I wouldn’t want him to go now that he’s become an important player, who has had a good season.
“I don’t think he’ll want to go now either because he’s playing regular football. You could argue he’s now first-choice left-back in fact and I’ve actually missed him when he’s not been there, which wasn’t something I ever thought I’d be saying six months ago. All credit to him because I thought he was probably finished at Villa.
“The only difficulty is that if Villa think at some point they can get someone on lesser wages who can do the same kind of job as him, they will do it because he’s on a big pay packet.
“I think that would probably be one for the summer to review. That wouldn’t be something I think would happen in January.”
In other Aston Villa news, a journalist has shared what he’s been told about an exit-linked Villa player.