Aston Villa’s Lucas Digne revealed he almost joined OGC Nice | OneFootball

Lucas Digne (31) has enjoyed an impressive 2024, during which he has established himself as first choice at Aston Villa, whilst also re-integrating the France set-up and playing a starring role in the last international break of the year.

This season, Digne has made 20 appearances in all competitions, including four in the UEFA Champions League.

“I feel as though I’m playing the best football of my career,” the former Everton and Barcelona full-back told Foot Mercato. “I am a happy footballer, a happy man, and a happy father. I’m loving what I’m doing and I just want to make the most of every moment.”

With Aston Villa, the Frenchman, who has previously competed in Europe with the likes of Lille OSC, Paris Saint-Germain, AS Roma, and Barcelona, is competing in the Champions League, a challenge that he is relishing. “It is a pleasure to be back in this competition. Villa are a big club with an impressive history. It’s an incredible feeling to be able to offer these European nights to our fans and share them together, and write a new chapter in the history of this club,” said Digne back in November.

However, as he has now told Téléfoot, things could have been very different. The France international was heavily linked with a move to OGC Nice back in the summer of 2023. He has now revealed that he almost made his return to Ligue 1. “It was two years ago. I was close to joining OGC Nice but the manager (Unai Emery) did not agree – at all – to letting me go. I said that I accepted his choice, if I was going to get game time and everything went well,” he said

GFFN | Luke Entwistle