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32 year old Lucas Digne spent an entire month living and eating with his Paris Saint Germain teammates at the World Cup training camp. Lucas Hernandez and Dembélé were with him day and night. No one knew he had already signed for Paris.
32-year-old Lucas Digne spent an entire month living and eating with his Paris Saint-Germain teammates at the World Cup training camp. Lucas Hernandez and Ousmane Dembélé were with him day in and day out. No one knew he had already signed for Paris.
His teammates only found out on Monday when they checked their phones. According to L'Équipe, when the news popped up, several of them grabbed Digne and started teasing him.
Fabrizio Romano dropped his iconic "Here we go! Lucas Digne to PSG" on social media, and the deal was done. Under €10 million, activating a release clause, with a three-year contract.
Ten million. In today's transfer market, that number is practically a steal. In the same window, Aston Villa midfielder Youri Tielemans is valued at £35 million, with negotiations with Manchester United already advanced. Paris signed a French international for less than a third of that price. According to a set of statistics circulating on X, Digne has played 394 matches in Europe's top five leagues over the past 15 years, the most among French defenders in that period.
That wasn't sporting director Luis Campos's original plan. He wanted to find a young backup for Nuno Mendes—cheap, energetic, with room to grow in value. The standard Campos approach: buy low, sell high, prioritize youth.
But the release clause in Digne's contract changed everything. Under €10 million, French nationality, 62 international caps, and a past connection with head coach Luis Enrique. During the 2016-2017 season, when Enrique coached Barcelona, Digne played under him. A decade ago, the coach watched this young player grow; a decade later, he brought him back to mentor younger players.
L'Équipe broke down Campos's decision-making logic: experience, nationality, price, and the old ties with Enrique—four factors stacked together, with negotiations completed in three to four weeks.
Digne himself called this return "boucler la boucle"—closing the circle. He arrived in Paris in 2013, left in 2016, and in between went to Barcelona, Everton, and Aston Villa. Ten years, a full circle, back to the Parc des Princes. According to L'Équipe, he said he wants to guide Mendes as a "big brother."
Mendes himself probably has no issue with this signing. Digne's role is as a backup, and he knows it and has accepted it.
Villa's accounting was even quicker. Digne joined from Everton in January 2022, and according to The Athletic's club reporter, he made 182 appearances in total, an iron man at left-back. With him gone, that position is now immediately vacant. Villa has already contacted AC Milan, targeting Ecuadorian left-back Pervis Estupiñán—though Romano's sources say there's more than one name on the shortlist.
If Tielemans also goes to Manchester United for £35 million, Villa will be bleeding in two positions this summer. One left-back, one midfield core. Emery's squad depth is being steadily hollowed out.
L'Équipe added one final note: Digne's son, Isaho, is a Paris Saint-Germain fan.