Digne hold-out to scupper Benitez’s January window
Lucas Digne is insisting on a move to a Champions League club and could destroy Rafael Benitez’s transfer plans at Everton, David Maddock reports in the Mirror.
The French full-back is refusing a move to Newcastle and is “happy to hold out” for a move to a club with genuine prospects of playing in the competition.
His position is threatening his manager’s hopes of signing Newcastle’s Sean Longstaff in a swap deal and depriving the Spaniard of valuable transfer funds.
Chelsea are believed to interested after Ben Chilwell was ruled out long-term, and with Digne having fallen out with Benitez he is on the way out of Goodison.
“Inter Milan have also been linked with the defender along with PSG, but both are thought to be keen on a loan deal only, and Everton need to sell to provide further funds for Benitez in the transfer market,” writes Maddock.
Making himself unpopular
With mutual approaches from Everton and Newcastle for Digne and Longstaff, had the former-Barcelona man accepted a move to the North-East everyone would have come away happy.
But the player clearly backs himself and is not afraid of being unpopular on Merseyside.
Despite their new Saudi ownership and the arrival of Eddie Howe as manager Newcastle are still staring down relegation this season.
Sitting one spot off the bottom, the superstar-signings their fans were dreaming of after the takeover are unsurprisingly going to be reluctant to head to St. James’ Park.
So far only Kieran Trippier has arrived from Atletico Madrid, and Digne does not wish to follow.
Everton fans’ and their manager’s hopes would appear to rest entirely on a bid being made from European Champions Chelsea.
With only Marcos Alonso an option thanks to Chilwell’s injury and Emerson on loan in France, an approach is possible.
But the Blues will be reluctant to spend heavily on a player who will likely be second choice at best when everyone is available.
If a transfer offer does not come from the capital, Benitez’s plans could be scuppered.
In other Everton news, this big-money flop told to find the exit.