Reports: Barcelona accept £22 million bid by Everton for defender

What’s the rumour?

Everton have had their £22 million bid for Lucas Digne accepted by Barcelona according to a report by Mirror. The publication claims that the left-back will now decide if he wants to move or not and the Toffees are trying hard to convince him.

The Merseyside club are looking for a long-term replacement for Leighton Baines. The Englishman, who is also the vice-captain of the side, turns 34-years-old this year and Marco Silva is desperate to sign a successor.

In case you didn’t know...

Lucas Digne was signed by Barcelona from Paris Saint-Germain in 2016. The French defender cost them around €20.5 million and was seen as a player who could put pressure on Jordi Alba.

2 years down the line and Alba has still not been challenged by Digne. Ernesto Valverde is said to be not a big fan of the defender and has given the green signal for his sale.

The heart of the matter

SPORT reports that Barcelona have put brakes on Marc Cucurella's exit for the time being. There were rumours that he was set to be sent out on loan but with Digne leaving, he might be the 2nd choice left-back for the 2018/19 season.

Borussia Monchengladbach and several La Liga sides were reportedly interested in signing him for the season.

Rumour probability: 7/10

Mirror are not such a reliable source but it is quite possible that his one is legit.

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What’s next?

Lucas Digne has a tough decision to make now: stay at Barcelona and fight for his place or to join Everton and rejuvenate his career. The Toffees are looking to push it for the Europa League and beyond from this season and it would be the perfect step in the right direction for Digne.