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Everton signed Lucas Digne from Barcelona in the summer for £18 million, as reported by the BBC.

The left-back came to Goodison Park to serve as the successor to the veteran Leighton Baines, who at 34 years of age can no longer play week in, week out at the highest level.

As a Toffees hero, Baines left big boots to fill as the club’s first choice left-back, but Digne has quickly become a fan favourite on Merseyside.

His role

The 25-year-old has become an integral part of Marco Silva’s starting XI. The 23-cap France international has now made 23 Premier League appearances for the Toffees, 21 of which have been starts. In that time, he has racked up three goals and three assists, as per Transfermarkt’s stats.

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Aside from end-product going forwards, Digne has also brought some extra top-level experience to the Everton rearguard, and he is one of the most consistent and reliable defenders at Silva’s disposal.

His importance

Digne’s ability on the ball, honed in his years spent playing with PSG and Barcelona, make him a truly dynamic and modern full-back.

According to WhoScored’s stats, he has averaged 1.1 shots and 1.8 key passes per Premier League game this season. His average record of 2.2 accurate crosses and 1.6 successful long balls per match only serves to further highlight the impact he can have in the final third. 

Digne has been equally impressive defensively. His average of 2.1 tackles, 1.7 interceptions and 2.2 clearances per game demonstrates what a vital contribution he makes for his side at the back.

In what has been a fairly underwhelming season at Goodison Park so far, Digne’s form has been one of the highlights, and Everton fans will hope that they can look forward to watching the French full-back impress for many years to come.