LONDON, Jan 8 ― Everton's Lucas Digne has asked to leave the Premier League club, manager Rafa Benitez said yesterday, with the France left back attracting interest from teams in England and Italy.

Digne, who joined Everton from Barcelona in 2018, has not played for the Merseyside club since December 1.

British media reported that Chelsea, Newcastle United, West Ham United and Inter Milan are among the clubs interested in signing the 28-year-old.

"I think he was very clear,” Benitez told reporters before today's FA Cup third-round match at second-tier Hull City.

"I want to ask a question to any fan or former player, what (club great) Peter Reid will say if a player goes and says he doesn't want to be here? Simple.

"I have had a couple of conversations with him. He told me what he thought, so what do you expect the manager to do when a player is thinking about leaving and a player says he does not want to be here.”

Everton have made defensive reinforcements in this month's transfer window, having signed left back Vitaliy Mykolenko from Dynamo Kiev and Nathan Patterson from Rangers.

They are 15th in the table on 19 points after 18 matches. ― Reuters