Aston Villa have announced the departure of Moussa Diaby to Al Ittihad. The talented winger, who joined Villa just last season from Bayer Leverkusen, is moving to Saudi Arabia after an impressive stint in the Premier League.
Diaby made a significant impact at Villa Park, scoring 10 goals and providing nine assists in 54 appearances across all competitions.
Aston Villa can confirm that Moussa Diaby has joined Al Ittihad. pic.twitter.com/9Op7QCcGdk
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) July 24, 2024
His performances were instrumental in helping Unai Emery's team secure a spot in the Champions League for the upcoming season.
The 25-year-old French international was previously a key player at Bayer Leverkusen and had a successful spell under Emery at Paris Saint-Germain.
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Al Ittihad's ambitious plans with Diaby
Diaby's transfer to Al Ittihad sees him joining a star-studded lineup that includes Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kante, and former Liverpool midfielder Fabinho.
The club, under the guidance of new head coach Laurent Blanc, is looking to improve on their fifth-place finish last season. Al Ittihad confirmed that Diaby has signed a five-year contract and has already joined their training camp in Spain.
Al Ittihad's CEO, Domingos Oliveira, expressed excitement about the new signing, stating,
"He will be a significant asset to the team."
The exact terms of the deal were not disclosed, but it's clear that Al Ittihad is making significant investments in their squad, following Saudi Arabia’s trend of attracting top international talent.
This move is part of a broader strategy by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), which took a majority stake in several top Saudi clubs, including Al Ittihad.
The PIF has been behind the high-profile signings of stars like Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, and Neymar, offering lucrative contracts to bring them to the Saudi Pro League.
