By Adefunmiloye Alani

12th Jan, 2022 | 6:00am

Everton ace Lucas Digne set to sign for Villa in next few hours on four-and-a-half year deal

Everton left-back Lucas Digne is set to join Aston Villa in a four-and-a-half year deal, according to French outlet L’Equipe.

The 28-year-old Frenchman is very keen to play under Steven Gerrard at Villa Park, and a deal is expected to be wrapped up in the next few hours after all parties involved thrashed out a deal.

Digne was linked with several clubs in the Premier League and abroad after falling out with Rafa Benitez, but it is the Midlands outfit who have won the race for his signature.

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The left-back joined the Toffees from Barcelona three-and-a-half years ago, establishing himself as one of the best players at Goodison Park.

The arrival of Benitez changed all that, though, as his attacking input has been restricted due to the Spaniard’s pragmatic style of play.

Digne was involved in 22 goals (18 assists and four goals) in his first three seasons at Everton, but he is yet to score or assist with half of 2021-22 gone.

That is simply down to the change in tactics on Merseyside, and confronting the manager about it has cost him his place at the club.

Gerrard played an exciting brand of football at Rangers and has continued doing so since joining Villa.

Digne wants to play at such a side, and while they are not anything like Barcelona or Paris Saint-Germain, he clearly believes they can soon be playing in Europe and challenging for major silverware like his former clubs.

They are currently above Everton in the Premier League table right now, and he sees joining them as an upgrade given the Toffees’ struggles and inability to break into Europe since joining them.

In other Everton news, the Toffees are plotting January loan-to-buy bid for centre-mid hailed by Jack Grealish last month.

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