'What a player' - Everton fans' Rafael Benitez claims ring true after France victory as ex-star shines
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
Everton fans have been reliving their frustrations surrounding the decision from Rafael Benitez to sell Lucas Digne after he starred for France.
Sold in January 2022 for £25m, he was a strong pick-up for Aston Villa but a bitter farewell for Everton fans, as their troubles began shortly after this. Having been consistent top-half finishers and been in European competitions a few years earlier, Benitez was sacked not long after and they went on to face two relegation battles in a row.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdJust a few days earlier, the club brought in Ukrainian defender Vitalyi Mykolenko, in preparation for Digne’s exit, but both players are vastly different in terms of profile and overall quality. Since then, he’s managed 95 games and been a consistent figure in defence.
But Digne came from Barcelona and has been in the national squad for arguably the best international side across the past six years and is currently in great form for club and country. He contributes in attack and stunned fans with two assists and a free-kick effort which forced an own goal from Guglielmo Vicario as Didier Deschamps side triumphed 3-1 at the San Siro.
The main difference between the pair is the fact that Digne is a real threat in the final third compared to Mykolenko, who has managed just three goals and one assist in 95 games. Compare that with Digne’s 20 assists and six goals in 127 games. While Mykolenko is arguably the slightly better defender (dribbled past less, more recoveries and more clearances) and was by far the higher performer last season. And fans are still frustrated that Benitez allowed him to exit a few years ago.
Loading....
One fan posted: ‘Out of all of Everton’s recent crimes against football selling Lucas Digne and replacing him with Mykolenko is top 5 worst things we’ve done. What a player.’ The lack of attacking contribution from Mykolenko will always frustrate fans, especially given he has shown quality in the three goals he has scored. Digne has been at the higher level and enjoyed an impressive career and Everton fans are simply reminiscing and hoping they can secure another left-back in the future that can bring a similar quality to what Digne brought.
Comment Guidelines
National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.