Aston Villa transfer latest: Lucas Digne update and potential additions

Speculation continues to mount over potential additions to Steven Gerrard’s squad
Lucas Digne is edging closer to joining Aston Villa from Everton. Picture: Clive Brunskill/Getty ImageLucas Digne is edging closer to joining Aston Villa from Everton. Picture: Clive Brunskill/Getty Image
Lucas Digne is edging closer to joining Aston Villa from Everton. Picture: Clive Brunskill/Getty Image

Wednesday brought more transfer activity for Aston Villa as the January window rapidly approaches its midway point.

Everton left-back Lucas Digne is on the brink of moving to Villa Park, for a fee set to be around £25 million.

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The Frenchman has traveled to Birmingham today (January 12) to undergo his medical.

Digne will become Steven Gerrard’s second signing as Villa boss after the completion of Philippe Coutinho’s loan move from Barcelona which was confirmed last night.

Speculation continues over other potential additions to Steven Gerrard’s squad with The Athletic once again suggesting Bologna’s Scottish international Aaron Hickey is a target.

The former Hearts defender is also said to be attracting interest from AC Milan and Celtic.

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Several sources North of the Border have reported Villa have struck a deal for Dundee United’s promising defender Kerr Smith with a fee that could amount to £2m suggested for the 17-year-old.

The Courier have said Villa fought off interest from Leicester City, Southampton, Crystal Palace and Newcastle United to sign the youngster.

They also revealed Kerr trained with Manchester United and Everton over the last year.

TalkSPORT had speculated West Ham United’s Republic of Ireland international goalkeeper Darren Randolph was a target for the Villa earlier this week.

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However, they now believe a move is ‘in doubt” - although not “100% dead”.’

The Mail has said Gerrard is “fending off mounting interest” in young striker Cameron Archer as the likes of Preston North End, Derby County, Sunderland and Portsmouth all eye up a loan move for the frontman.

Archer has been spoken of as one of several prospects that could be allowed to spend the second half of the season elsewhere in order to aid their development.

Speaking after Monday’s FA Cup exit at the hands of Manchester United, Gerrard said: “If you look outside of our eleven today there’s a lot of academy players there and we’re still working in the transfer market to get options and more solutions to become stronger in this window.

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“Hopefully at the back end of it we’ll have more options in those attacking places as well.

“Yes we’ve got some bright academy players but they’re still developing.

“It’s not fair to throw them in at the deep end at this level of competition and we’re still deciding on whether some of them will go out on loan.”

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