Aston Villa have sold Moussa Diaby to Saudi club Al-Ittihad for a staggering £60m, marking a successful financial move for the newly-qualified Champions League team.
Moussa Diaby, who was acquired by Aston Villa from Bayer Leverkusen last season for a club record fee of £52m, has managed to secure a profitable deal for the club.
Since joining Aston Villa in July 2023 for a total of £52m, Diaby has contributed 10 goals and nine assists in 54 appearances.
It is now confirmed that Diaby has agreed to personal terms with Al-Ittihad after being presented with a lucrative contract.
Aston Villa keen to sign Nico Williams
The sale of Diaby will aid Aston Villa in acquiring more of their top targets and strengthening their Financial Fair Play situation.
Meanwhile, reports suggest that Aston Villa are keen on signing Nico Williams, which would be a significant addition to the team led by Unai Emery.
Williams’ stint at Athletic Bilbao has been beneficial as he had a stellar season with eight goals and 19 assists, helping his team lift the Copa del Rey.
The 22-year-old then played a pivotal role as Spain beat the likes of Germany, France, and England on their way to clinch the 2024 Euro trophy.
With a reported release clause of £50 million in his contract, there have been reports that many clubs could be interested in signing Williams due to his impressive performance and increased value.
Both Arsenal and Chelsea have been rumored as potential suitors for Williams in the Premier League, with Barcelona also expressing significant interest.
With Moussa Diaby’s departure potentially paving the way for Aston Villa to make a move for Williams, the club may need to consider whether they are willing to invest £50 million to activate his release clause from Athletic Club.
Time will tell if Villa will allocate some of the funds from Diaby’s sale towards securing the Spanish striker.
Who is Moussa Diaby?
Moussa Diaby was born on the 7th of July 1999. He is a French professional footballer who last played as a winger or attacking midfielder for Premier League club Aston Villa and represents the France national team.
His club career
Diaby is a product of the Paris Saint-Germain Academy. He joined the club when he was 13.
He made his debut for the B team in 2017 and later went on loan to F.C. Crotone for the second half of the 2017–18 Serie A season.
Diaby returned to PSG on 14 September 2018 before signing a five-year deal with Bayer Leverkusen on 14 June 2019.
After three years with Leverkusen, Diaby made a move to the Premier League with Aston Villa in 2023.
Diaby’s international career
Diaby has been a part of the France youth national teams at various levels, including U18, U19, U20, and U21. He was called up to the France senior squad for the first time on 26 August 2021.
Diaby made his international debut on 1 September 2021 during a 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, coming on as a substitute in the last minute of the game for Kylian Mbappé.
His achievements
Moussa Diaby has achieved success both at the club and international levels.
In 2018-19, he helped PSG win the Ligue 1 title and the Trophée des Champions.
Internationally, he was part of the France team that won the UEFA Nations League in 2020-21.
Diaby has also received individual accolades, including the Titi d’Or in 2016, a spot in the UEFA European Under-19 Championship Team of the Tournament in 2018, selection in the Bundesliga Team of the Season in 2022-23, and the Premier League Most Powerful Goal in 2023-24.
