French defender Lucas Digne could have been experiencing a very different season.

The left-back, who is enjoying his best football to date at Aston Villa, nearly left the club in the summer.

Digne was not first choice at the start of the term, with Alex Moreno the preferred option for coach Unai Emery.

“It is correct that there was interest from different clubs this summer - as there is in every transfer window for a player of Lucas's caliber," Digne's agent, Mikkel Beck, told Birmingham Live.

“There were a lot of rumours and speculation in the media.

“Lucas never wanted to leave Villa and the exciting project under Unai Emery.

“He is in his best age as a footballer and not many players have the same ambitions and hunger to always perform his very best as he has."