Aston Villa left-back Lucas Digne has revealed why he opted to join Steve Gerrard's side in the January transfer window despite interest in him from Chelsea.
With Ben Chilwell suffering a cruciate ligament injury against Juventus in January, he was ruled out for the remainder of the season, leaving Thomas Tuchel short of options at left-back. As a result, Digne was one of the players linked with a move to Stamford Bridge after his relationship with then Everton manager Rafael Benitez disintegrated.
But ultimately a move did not materialise. With the France international seeking a permanent move and Chelsea reluctant to commit to a long-term deal just to cover Chilwell, Digne eventually found his fit in the West Midlands with Villa.
READ MORE: New Champions League rules to have major effect on Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham and West Ham
Now the 28-year-old has spoken about the reports swirling in January and although he did not name the Blues, he admitted that a number of clubs wanted to sign him.
“I was lucky to have several clubs and I chose Aston Villa for the project, the coach. I know it will work for me,” he said in an interview with L'Equipe, via SportWitness.. “I did not speak about it with the coach [Didier Deschamps]. As long as I have playing time and I perform well… It’s a club that has a history.
“And, over time, you will see that there will be the quality to break into the top seven in the Premier League. Managing to attract someone like Philippe [Coutinho] is already a sign. This summer, it will still move a lot. There are ways. You have to progress quickly. It is an ambitious club.”
Chelsea ultimately failed to strengthen their options at left-wing back. Barcelona defender Sergino Dest and Paris Saint-Germain's Layvin Kurzawa were also linked with temporary moves, while a recall for Emerson Palmieri from his loan spell with Lyon was also explored.
