Report: City, Chelsea interested in Everton's Digne as Chilwell alternative

Manchester City and Chelsea are both targeting Everton's Lucas Digne as a potential transfer alternative to pricey Leicester City full-back Ben Chilwell, according to a report from ESPN UK's Mark Ogden.

City and Chelsea are in the market for solutions to their respective left-back dilemmas amid reports that Leicester demand no less than £75 million for 23-year-old England international Chilwell.

Chelsea have long been admirers of Chilwell, as Frank Lampard and Co. look to upgrade on one of Emerson or Marcos Alonso. However, Digne joins the club's list of low-cost left-back options alongside Ajax's Nicolas Tagliafico.

Pep Guardiola is also looking to improve on a position currently shared by Benjamin Mendy and Oleksandr Zinchenko, but City remain apprehensive of Leicester's lavish valuations of players after getting priced out of an £80-million move for Harry Maguire in 2019.

Digne joined Everton from Barcelona in 2018 and has been one of the Toffees' best players over the last two seasons, replacing club legend Leighton Baines as first-choice left-back. The 26-year-old has recorded a team-high six league assists this season and is behind only Liverpool pairing Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson in that category among defenders.

Everton are expected to appraise Digne at more than the £18-million fee they paid Barcelona for the 30-time capped France international. Digne currently has three years left on his terms at Goodison Park, and Carlo Ancelotti will be in no hurry to lose one of his most trusted players.