The race for Lucas Digne is on!
Everton have wasted no time in getting the transfer window up and running. The January market has been open for literally one day and they’ve already signed a new left-back.
The Toffees have signed Vitaliy Mykolenko from Dynamo Kyiv, meaning the out-of-favour Digne will potentially move on this month.
Where he goes, your guess is as good as mine, however Chelsea look like a very good fit.
Since Ben Chilwell’s injury in November, the Blues have struggled to fill the void. Though we may need a long-term replacement, it seems like a loan deal might benefit all parties.
Rafael Benitez and Digne have not seen eye to eye this season. The full-back had been iced out for Everton’s past five matches to confirm the rumours.
Their relationship is not the first to come to an ugly end. As you may recall, earlier in the season, James Rodriguez also fell out with the Spanish manager and was packed off to Al-Rayyan.
Judging from the James situation, Digne will most likely share the same fate. The question now is can Chelsea find the funds to actually buy him from Everton. Fans would be content with a loan deal but it seems like the Toffees will be looking to make some sort of profit on the Frenchman.
Digne is valued at £27million as per Transfermarkt . The general consensus is that Chelsea have the funds for the transfer, however, they have bigger fish to fry come summer. The Blues may have to go in for at least three new centre-backs ahead of 2022/23 and forward planning might mean short-term needs go unaddressed.
While I'd be happy to see us bolstered at centre-back, we need to replace Chilwell in order to save our Premier League hopes. I know that a title run may seem a little bit far-fetched after Manchester City extended their lead to 11 points.
But it’s too early to throw in the towel, you have to fight right until it’s mathematically impossible. We are only halfway through the season and Digne can make all the difference.
The Frenchman is notorious for his brave runs into the final third and his pinpoint crosses. His recovery pace is clearly superior to Marcos Alonso's.
Chelsea should look into preparing a bid for the Frenchman before it is too late. Newcastle, Inter and City are also rumoured to be admirers, so we must think fast.
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