Aston Villa have reportedly reached a verbal agreement for the €60m exit of Moussa Diaby to Al Ittihad.
The 25-year-old joined us from Bayer Leverkusen last summer in a deal said to be worth around €40m plus add-ons, as per the Athletic, and he went on to have a respectable debut campaign with us.
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Diaby scored 10 goals and provided nine assists in 54 appearances across all competitions, and although it was felt that he could kick on and make an improved impact in his second season in the upcoming campaign, it appears as though he’s set to depart instead.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Villa have now reached a verbal agreement with Al Ittihad to sell Diaby in a deal worth around €60m, with add-ons included in that fee. He adds that Diaby has also agreed on personal terms, and so his exit now seems imminent.
On one hand it is disappointing to see the French international move on after just one year, as although he struggled for consistency in his bid to be a key influence in Unai Emery’s system and style of play last season, he was still an important asset and attacking option with his pace, creativity and threat in the final third.
However, it’s also smart business from Villa to cash in on him if Emery is open to allowing him to leave, as it not only solidifies our financial position with regards to PSR in the coming years, but it now sets up a fascinating wait to see what we potentially do to replace him and fill that void.
With great competition and depth already in the squad in that department with Emiliano Buendia, Jacob Ramsey, Morgan Rogers, Leon Bailey and others capable of playing in wide areas or through the middle behind Ollie Watkins, it could be argued that Emery may feel he has enough without having to dip back into the transfer market.
That said, with that kind of fee and the potential to reinvest to continue to strengthen his squad, we may well see more activity between now and the end of the transfer window as Villa look to build on last season and continue to compete for silverware as well as solidify ourselves in the top four in the Premier League.