Aston Villa have signed full-back Lucas Digne from fellow Premier League side Everton for an undisclosed fee, while Anwar El Ghazi has moved the other way on loan in a separate deal.
Digne has not played since Everton's Merseyside derby defeat on December 1 after a fall-out with the manager over tactics and his role in the team.
He returned to the squad as an unused substitute a month later for the defeat at home to Brighton but last Friday the Toffees boss revealed the player had asked to leave.
Benitez was critical of Digne’s attitude, saying: “We are paid big money to do our job and if someone is happy or not happy it is (still) up to you to perform in your job.
“You have to put your interests behind the interests of the club. If you are not thinking about that the priority is you and not the team.”