Napoli are reportedly eyeing a move for Everton star Lucas Digne whose relationship with Rafael Benitez has made his position untenable at Goodison Park.
According to Foot Mercato, Italian giants Napoli are eyeing a January move for Everton full-back Lucas Digne in the upcoming January transfer window.
The Serie A giants enjoyed a brilliant start to their top-flight campaign and led the table going into December. However, a poor run of form has since seen them concede the top spot to Inter Milan, falling down the standings as a result.
Luciano Spalletti’s side is currently third in the table and the recent loss to Spezia has left them seven points behind Inter Milan in the title race. The Gli Azzurri now face an uphill task of turning their fortunes around in the remainder of the season.
The January transfer window offers them an opportunity to add key pieces to their squad for a renewed title charge in the near year. With Kalidou Koulibaly and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa set to depart for the Africa Cup of Nations, squad depth will be key for the Serie A giants to see out the matches in January.
To that end, Napoli have identified the left-back spot as one that needs addressing. They have so far earmarked two players who can do the job – Pars Saint Germain’s Layvin Kurzawa and Everton’s Lucas Digne.
Since he moved to the club, the Everton man has been one of the club’s top players. A two-way player who can perform at both ends of the pitch, Digne also happens to be an excellent dead-ball specialist. This gives him an edge over the other left-backs in the Napoli squad, like Mario Rui, Faouzi Ghoulam and Filippo Costa.
The Frenchman’s stock appears to have fallen at Goodison Park, and his relationship with Everton manager Rafael Benitez is not the best. The duo seems to have reached a point of no return, and it remains to be seen if Digne will be the one to bite the bullet.
The 28-year-old has been frozen out from Everton’s last three matches, and it is unclear if it is a temporary measure or if he has been deemed surplus to requirements. With Vitaliy Mykolenko set to join Everton in January, Benitez will have another left-back at his disposal, putting Digne’s future at the club in further jeopardy.
The Frenchman is currently in the prime of his career and deserves better than to be a fringe player at a club such as Everton. With the 2022 FIFA World Cup set to be held next summer, it is imperative that Digne regularly plays to make a claim for a spot in the French national squad.
Napoli ideally are looking to bring in a central defender, but in Digne, the Partenopei could very well find an opportunity too big to ignore. The 28-year-old has the right skill set to thrive in Serie A. Whether it will come to pass remains to be seen.
