Lucas Digne

[PaulWinch again]

He is comfortably one of our consistent high level performers, if not the most consistent, we should be keeping him as long as possible.

[Dave]

I thought his contract runs out June 2026.

If that’s the case, i could see us selling him this summer. It’s probably the last season we’ll get anything other than a nominal fee for him, and with Maatsen and Iling Junior we should be sorted on that left hand side for the next decade

It is, June '26.

I'd suggest we wait until the end of this season and then look at the Digne situation. If he's still first-choice then another two years would probably be sensible. If he wants something longer, then he can sit it out and see if he gets better offers as a free agent a year later. If Maatsen has started to move ahead of him, start to see if there are clubs that Digne's willing to move to who can give us a few million for him.

However, I still don't see how Iling-Junior is a planned Digne replacement. He's barely played there before, and it's not like he's spent any time with our coaches for them to have noticed something that his previous coaches have missed.

Juventus used him occasionally as a wing-back in a 3-5-2, but the only matches I can find where he's played left-back are a couple of friendlies for the u21s. And if the long-term plan was a system where our attacking width comes from a left-wing back you'd think we'd have seen Maatsen a lot more this season than we have.

Put it this way, if Konsa isn't a right-back after playing dozens of matches there, Iling-Junior definitely isn't a left-back after two matches there.

[Smithy]

Agreed. I don't know how much of a problem it causes us to lose a player for "nothing", but I would be happy to keep him to his contract expiry if his level remains where it is now.  He'll get decent offers at the end of that, but it's unlikely we'd see much of a fee for a 32-year-old in the summer, so I'd prefer the decent player for another year (if he remains decent, obviously).

It might be he's an Ashley Young type, and will still be a very capable full-back at Premier league level when he's 35.  Only the club who see him day in, day out, will know if there is any physical drop-off happening.

[Mister E]

... However, I still don't see how Iling-Junior is a planned Digne replacement. He's barely played there before, and it's not like he's spent any time with our coaches for them to have noticed something that his previous coaches have missed ...

Presumably, Maatsen, the Turkish lad and the young leftback from arsenal (who is now, I think, on loan at Plymouth?) are the going-forward options.
Review the situation in summer of 2025.

[PaulWinch again]

Such a brilliant player - the quality on the cross.

[Brazilian Villain]

Such a brilliant player - the quality on the cross.

One of the best crossers in the league.

[pauliewalnuts]

He is brilliant, isn't he?

Doesn't get the credit he deserves, but he's consistently excellent.

[darren woolley]

What a cross for Youri's goal simply world class.

[Brend'Watkins]

He is brilliant, isn't he?

Doesn't get the credit he deserves, but he's consistently excellent.

Yes, he’s brilliant. We’re so much stronger with him in defence. That’s nothing against the younger Maatsen, Digne is just so much better at that aspect and a good crosser of the ball too.

[enigma]

My player of the season so far.

[Ian.]

He is brilliant, isn't he?

Doesn't get the credit he deserves, but he's consistently excellent.

Yes, he’s brilliant. We’re so much stronger with him in defence. That’s nothing against the younger Maatsen, Digne is just so much better at that aspect and a good crosser of the ball too.

He is superb, he’s gone up so many levels under Emery and he’s always full of praise to the boss.

Maatsen is very promising and an upgrade on Moreno. He can learn hell of a lot from both Digne and Emery.

[AV84]

I said it a few times last season, but the fact he was literally on his way out of the club and it got cancelled last minute, and he came back and got stuck in the way he has last season,  and now again this season, is incredible to see. He deserves a lot of credit just on a personal level for his attitude and commitment.

[VillaTim]

My player of the season so far.

Yep, alongside Rogers .

[supertom]

He's been rock solid since Unai came in. Rarely below a 7/10. Generally when we look ropey at the back it's all to his right where it's going wrong.

Given where we are and where we've been pushing in the table under Unai, there's an argument that he might be the best left-back we've had in the Premier League era. Tbf, there's not a great deal of competition. It's basically one of Stan, Little Alan, Freddie (and probably injuries put him last) or Digne. I'd say Stan still shades it but let's see how far we get with Digne. When we win the Champions League in May, it'll be Lucas.

[brontebilly]

He's improved out of all recognition in a Villa shirt in last 18 months. He knows his strengths and weaknesses and has adjusted his game accordingly. Martinelli hooked, Sterling anonymous and a cracking assist.