Aston Villa have signed Everton left-back Lucas Digne in a deal worth up to £25m.
It follows several days of negotiations, in which Villa beat off interest from Chelsea, Newcastle and West Ham.
Steven Gerrard brings in his second signing as manager following the arrival of his former Liverpool team-mate Philippe Coutinho, with Brighton’s midfielder
Yves Bissouma also a target.
Digne, who had three-and-a-half years remaining on his Everton contract, told the club he wanted to depart Goodison Park this month after falling out with manager Rafa Benitez.
Digne appeared to take a parting shot at Benitez on Wednesday night in a farewell post to Evertonians, after the Spaniard made public his desire to leave last week.
“Everything must come to an end,” Digne wrote on Instagram. “I just did not expect it to end this way. What has happened and some things that was said about me in the last month has made me very sad.
“I will always carry you with me in my heart wherever I go.
“Sometimes it only takes one person from outside to destroy a beautiful love affair.”
Sky Sports News had been told Everton wanted £30m for Digne, who joined from Barcelona in 2018.
Everton have already signed Ukraine international Vitaliy Mykolenko as a replacement. The Toffees also secured the services of Rangers and Scotland right-back Nathan Patterson in a deal worth £16m earlier in the January window.
So far this season, Digne has played 15 games and scored once for Everton, who are 15th in the table ahead of their clash away at Norwich on Saturday.
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