Concerns about Dan Bardell leaving Aston Villa are...

Concerns about Dan Bardell leaving Aston Villa are shared as

Concerns about Dan Bardell leaving Aston Villa are shared as Al-Hilal makes a new attempt to sign Lucas Digne.

We are excited to have journalist Dan Bardell from Sky Sports join us as our official Aston Villa columnist. Every

week, he will provide his thoughts on the club’s most talked-about topics.

Dan Bardell would prefer that Lucas Digne stay at Aston Villa, given that Al-Hilal has shown a desire to sign him

The French newspaper L’Equipe reported on its website on Friday (12 January) that the Saudi Pro League club

have made an approach for the 30-year-old.

It said they are also exploring a move for Raphael Guerreiro, with the Middle Eastern side seeking a loan-to-buy

deal for the Bayern Munich fullback or Villa defender Digne.

The France international’s current Villa Park salary is reportedly £163,000 per week, therefore Bardell thinks

the Villans will likely examine his status in the summer and try to bring in someone on a lesser salary.

“He was a player I was not sure about in the summer and I felt like the move hadn’t worked out,” Bardell stated

in an exclusive interview with Villa News. I felt defended since he wasn’t capable. But I can put up my hands and

declare that he’s played football consistently this season and had a really excellent season.

“He’s been a mainstay in the Villa side with Moreno out and I would now actually be all for him staying, I

wouldn’t want him to leave because I think him and Moreno offer different things, but they’re two good options

to have at left-back.

“That competition for places, I know there’s some links with Marcos Acuna and I think something was pretty

close with that in the summer because Villa expected Lucas Digne to go, but I’d be very reluctant to do that. I

wouldn’t want him to go now that he’s become an important player, who has had a good season.

“I don’t think he’ll want to go now either because he’s playing regular football. You could argue he’s now first-

choice left-back in fact and I’ve actually missed him when he’s not been there, which wasn’t something I ever

thought I’d be saying six months ago. All credit to him because I thought he was probably finished at Villa.

“The only difficulty is that if Villa think at some point they can get someone on lesser wages who can do the

same kind of job as him, they will do it because he’s on a big pay packet.

“I think that would probably be one for the summer to review. That wouldn’t be something I think would

happen in January.”