Barcelona confirm imminent departure of Everton target Digne

Barcelona have announced Lucas Digne is closing in on a move away from the club amid interest from Everton.

Digne has spent the last two years at Barcelona after completing a £13.6m move from Roma in 2016 but has failed to make any impression at the club.

The 25-year-old has been heavily linked with a move away from Barcelona this summer, with Everton showing the strongest interest in the full-back.

New Everton manager Marco Silva is determined to sign a long-term replacement for 33-year-old Leighton Baines and is on the verge of prising Digne away from Barcelona.

The Toffees were interested in signing Celtic starlet Kieran Tierney but have since switched their focus to Digne, who will arrive in the next 48 hours for a €20m (£17.8m) fee.

“Lucas Digne travels to Barcelona with the club’s permission to finalise his departure from the club,” a statement read on the club’s official Twitter account.

The French left-back will become Everton’s second signing of the summer following Richarlison’s blockbuster £40m arrival from Watford earlier this month.

During his two-year stint at Barcelona, Digne only managed to start 22 league games for the Spanish giants, making just seven further appearances from the bench in that time.