Lucas Digne is set to return to PSG after the French giants triggered a release clause in his Aston Villa contract, believed to be worth less than €10 million.
Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that PSG have triggered a release clause worth less than €10 million in Lucas Digne’s Aston Villa contract. The French left-back has agreed to return to the Parisian club, a decade after leaving them for Barcelona, as he is willing to take up the role of Nuno Mendes’ backup.
Aston Villa hit with double blow on Monday
Digne has been one of the best-performing left-backs at the World Cup, initially starting France’s campaign on the bench before usurping Theo Hernandez. While his displays for the national team may have caught PSG’s attention as they looked to bring him back to the club, it comes a decade after they sold Digne to Barcelona.
Aston Villa may not have necessarily wanted to sell Digne, as he is their starting left-back. Despite initial speculation that Maatsen could displace him, Digne remained Villa’s first-choice left-back.
The news of PSG triggering the release clause, worth less than €10 million, would have come as a blow for Villa, as they were already dealing with the news surrounding Youri Tielemans. Earlier on Monday, David Ornstein reported that Manchester United triggered a release clause in the Belgian midfielder’s contract and agreed terms with the player, who is now set to leave Aston Villa.
Why is Lucas Digne joining PSG?
Losing two of their first-choice players would be a major blow for Aston Villa, who may now scramble in the market for replacements. Digne is a particularly big loss, given the Frenchman’s experience and knowledge of the Premier League. The defender joined Villa in 2022 from Everton and has gone on to make more than 180 appearances across all competitions.
Digne, previously Villa’s first choice, has accepted a backup role to Nuno Mendes at PSG. The appeal of winning major honours at PSG, who have recently won their second Champions League in a row, may have influenced his decision.
