Aston Villa defender Lucas Digne has been linked with a contract extension at the West Midlands club.
His current contract expires in 2026 and there have been rumours that 31-year-olds could be offered a new deal at the club.
However, Bryan King has now revealed that the French fullback is not good enough and Aston Villa should be looking for somebody younger with more potential.
“I would think that Villa will be looking for somebody younger, that is for sure,” King said to Aston Villa News.
“I’ve never rated Digne, I didn’t rate him at Everton and I was surprised when Villa signed him. He has done alright at the club, nothing outstanding.
“I certainly wouldn’t put him up there with the Premier League’s best left-backs. He is getting older, and I would have thought he’d be looking to go back to France.
“I don’t think he would get another Premier League move. I’m not sold on him.”
It remains to be seen whether the West Midlands club decide to bring in an alternative to the French defender instead of offering him a new deal. They need more quality and depth in the side and Diegne could prove to be a useful squad option for them.
He has shown his quality in the Premier League with Aston Villa and Everton in the past.
The defender could certainly be tempted to sign a new deal with the West Midlands club if the opportunity presents itself. Aston Villa have put together a quality squad and they are competing in the UEFA Champions League this season. They will be an attractive project for most players.
Meanwhile, King has stated that no other Premier League club would be willing to give him an opportunity and therefore Aston Villa must look for an upgrade instead of keeping him at the club.
It will be interesting to see how the situation develops. Given the fact that he has two years left on his deal, the West Midlands club could probably fetch a reasonable fee for him at the end of the season. At 31, he is unlikely to get any better and moving him on might not be such a bad idea.