Aston Villa winger Moussa Diaby is on the verge of completing a transfer to Al-Ittihad for approximately 60 million euros (£50.4 million). The 25-year-old has traveled to Saudi Arabia to undergo a medical examination and finalize the deal, following just one season at Villa Park.
Diaby joined Villa from Bayer Leverkusen last summer for a club record fee, reported to be £51.9 million. However, manager Unai Emery has opted to sell the France international.
This transfer comes after Aston Villa re-signed Jaden Philogene from Hull for around £13.5 million this month. The club believes that the academy graduate will significantly impact the squad upon his return.
During his time at Villa, Diaby made 54 appearances and scored 10 goals, contributing to the team’s fourth-place finish in the Premier League and their qualification for the Champions League.
In preparation for the new season, Villa has been reshaping their squad. Last month, they sold midfielder Douglas Luiz to Juventus for £42.35 million. The club has also signed Samuel Iling-Junior and Enzo Barrenechea from Juventus, while left-back Ian Maatsen joined from Chelsea for £35 million, and winger Lewis Dobbin was acquired from Everton for approximately £9 million. On Tuesday, Villa completed the £50 million signing of Everton midfielder Amadou Onana.
