Watching his France teammates win the World Cup without him was key in Lucas Digne’s decision to leave Barcelona, sources close to the player have said, with the left-back close to joining Everton on Monday.
Digne was in Didier Deschamps’ pre-World Cup squad but was discarded at the final cuts when Deschamps decided centre-back Lucas Hernandez could fill in on the left of a back four and leave Benjamin Mendy as the only specialist in the squad.
Indeed, Atletico Madrid’s Hernandez was a mainstay throughout the competition as France went on to win their second World Cup earlier this month. And sources close to the player say that having to watch on from home was one of the major reasons he decided to leave Barcelona, where he had enjoyed a successful spell and was still in the club’s plans.
Digne was signed from Lille as one of the hottest young talents and back-up to Jordi Alba, a role he has performed without issue over recent seasons. Now 25, however, the left-back has decided that he must move on for the sake of his career and is close to joining Everton, where he will be the heir to veteran Leighton Baines.
As revealed earlier this month by The Independent, Everton have also held talks with Barca over Colombia international Yerry Mina, who unlike Digne was considered to be surplus to requirements and available. The young centre-back had a rocky start to life in Spain but three goals at the World Cup have, as ever, ensured that suitors will look beyond the defender’s lapses in defence.
