Moussa Diaby moves on after just one season at Aston Villa and joins Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia. The ex-Leverkusen player will thus move over 100 million euros within a year
Moussa Diaby moves on after just one season at Aston Villa and joins Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia. The ex-Leverkusen player thus moves over 100 million euros within a year.
Moussa Diaby was literally looking for the famous “next step” when he moved from Bayer 04 Leverkusen to Aston Villa for 55 million euros last summer. Just one year later, he has already ended his Premier League adventure: Al-Ittihad successfully lured the now 25-year-old winger to Saudi Arabia and signed him to a long-term contract on Wednesday.
And once again, a lot of money is flowing in – the transfer fee is said to be similar to that of a year ago. According to French media reports, 60 million euros will be paid.
Just like a year ago, when he missed out on Leverkusen’s championship due to his transfer (but at least made it possible with the transfer fee), Diaby will miss out on another highlight because Villa qualified for the Champions League for the first time in over 40 years as fourth in the Premier League. But it can be assumed that Diaby will be “compensated” for this with a hefty pay jump.
In future, Diaby will play with compatriots Blanc and Benzema
At Al-Ittihad, the 11-time France international, who did not make the European Championship squad, will not only meet a compatriot in coach Laurent Blanc, but also Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kanté, with the latter possibly moving to West Ham United soon. Saudi Arabia’s 2023 champions, who also have Fabinho, Jota and Luiz Felipe under contract, only finished fifth last season – 42 points behind unbeaten new title winners Al-Hilal.
Diaby played in all 38 Premier League games for Villa (six goals, eight assists), but was substituted 13 times and substituted 22 times. Now coach Unai Emery is using his transfer fee to rebuild the squad and prepare it for the Premier League. Among others, Villa have already signed left-back Ian Maatsen (Chelsea, most recently on loan to Dortmund), midfielders Ross Barkley (Luton), Amadou Onana (Everton, formerly HSV) and Enzo Barrenechea (Juventus) as well as attacker Cameron Archer (Sheffield United).
