Nottingham Forest were keen to sign Lucas Digne from Aston Villa when the club wanted Brennan Johnson earlier in the summer. However, the move didn’t get too far down the line with the player’s excessive wages putting the Reds off.
According to The Athletic, Digne was on the radar of the City Ground-based outfit. Villa were very keen to land Johnson earlier in the transfer window and were hoping to use the left-back as a makeweight to smooth through a deal.
Forest quickly moved on from the French defender who joined Villa from Everton. It soon became apparent that the player earned £120,000-a-week and that certainly was a sum that Forest felt represented value for money.
The 30-year-old has been with Villa since January 2022. He swapped Goodison Park for Villa Park but the player was set to be allowed to leave the club this summer, with Unai Emery keen to stamp his own authority on the squad.
Digne has now been handed a reprieve at Villa too. He’s already registered four assists this season, including three in one game as Emery’s men defeated Hibernian 5-0 in the UEFA Europa Conference League last week.
MORE FOREST STORIES
The defender has started all three Premier League games this season. At 30-years-old, however, he’d have hardly represented a decent piece of business for Forest given that he earns such a substantial wage packet.
Forest were keen on Digne but wages deterred them
This looks like a sensible decision by Forest. Although Digne has actually started the season in style, Forest simply can’t justify such a significant wage for a player who is now probably beyond his very best years.
Forest are still looking at signing another left-back before the transfer window closes. They’ve been linked with a number of players this summer and hopefully, something can happen before the deadline on Friday.
Digne is a vastly experienced player. He has made 160 appearances in the Premier League and ultimately, he would have improved the Forest squad had they chosen to sign him.
Given that Forest have implications regarding Financial Fair Play, however, it has to be said that the club have made the right decision regarding Digne this summer.