Aston Villa have agreed a deal with Paris Saint-Germain to sell Lucas Digne after they triggered his release clause, according to Fabrizio Romano.
The Villans have moved to complete a deal to sign Johan Manzambi in a £52.4m deal, hijacking Newcastle's move for the Switzerland international, but have been rocked by news that Manchester United have triggered the £35m release clause in Youri Tielemans' contract, with the Belgian now set to depart.
But it has now emerged that the club have been forced to sell yet another key first-team star in this current window, with another release clause being brought to light.
Aston Villa to Lose Lucas Digne
Aston Villa's Lucas Digne in action vs Leeds United
Digne, who has been described as 'top-level', has been a regular at the club since joining from Everton in January 2022, earning himself a regular starting spot in Didier Deschamps' France squad during the World Cup this summer too.
But the 33-year-old has attracted the interest of back-to-back European champions PSG for a move back to Paris this summer, and it has now emerged that they have agreed to trigger the release clause worth less than £10m to take him back to Ligue 1.
Digne has now agreed a contract with the French side, and has accepted a role as a back-up option for Portugal international Nuno Mendes.
Villa don't want to lose Digne, but are helpless due to the clause in his contract. PSG have now informed the Midlands side that they will pay the fee once his participation at the World Cup is over, with the defender currently preparing for a semi-final clash with Spain.
Former Brighton star Pervis Estupinan has emerged as a target for Emery's side, but the team are now looking to recover from a week of blows, having also lost Amadou Onana for most of the upcoming season due to a serious knee injury.
Fees correct prior to summer 2026
All 10 found — excellent!
Time for Maatsen to Step Up
Ian Maatsen
Aston Villa were on the verge of replacing Digne a few years ago when they completed a deal to sign Ian Maatsen from Chelsea, but Digne managed to fight back and retain his spot.
But Maatsen has impressed during his spell at the club, and now he will surely be given the opportunity to step up and become the starting option under Emery. Losing Digne will be a major blow, but Villa also know that they have a ready-made replacement in the squad who can make an immediate impact.
The release clause is low compared to market value, but Digne is 33 and needed replacing sooner or later, so it could turn out to be a good deal with his wages off the books, helping to keep other key players and bring in replacements.
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