Aston Villa reportedly had an official bid of €35m plus add-ons for Moussa Diaby rejected by Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday.
Villa boss Unai Emery wants to build on a seventh-place finish in the Premier League at the end of last season by bringing in quality players to Villa Park this summer. Moussa Diaby has emerged as a prime target for Unai Emery following the captures of Youri Tielemans and Pau Torres. Despite Bayer Leverkusen rejecting the first bid, the negotiations are still ongoing and the deal is completely on.
According to reliable Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano, Moussa Diaby wants the move to Aston Villa and Bayer Leverkusen are aware of it.
Diaby, 24, who is under contract with Bayer Leverkusen until June 2025, has been informed by the club that he will be allowed to leave this summer in the event that an acceptable proposal is made to acquire his services. The Frenchman is among the most sought-after wingers in Europe, attracting interest from a host of clubs following his impressive performances in the Bundesliga.
Last season saw the 24-year-old attacker score nine goals and register eight assists in 33 league appearances as he helped Xabi Alonso’s side qualify for the Europa League with a sixth-placed finish.
Moussa Diaby to Aston Villa—Right move?
After reinforcing the defensive and midfield options, Unai Emery is on the lookout for an attacker who can play out wide as well as up front when required. One of Emi Buendia or Leon Bailey played off the main striker Ollie Watkins last season, and Emery wants a creative winger that will not only improve the productivity in front of goal but also add valuable depth to the squad to compete in all competitions including the Europa Conference League.
The Villa boss has set his sights on Moussa Diaby, who has been a fantastic performer for Bayer Leverkusen ever since moving from Paris Saint-Germain in 2019. After registering 49 goals and 48 assists in 172 appearances, he has become a fan favourite at Bay Arena.
The France international has in recent seasons demonstrated that he is capable of being a consistent threat in wide areas, causing all kinds of problems for the full-backs with his unpredictability, pace, dynamism and movement. He is also clever with his link-up play and has proved his ability to score all kinds of goals in Germany.
Last season under Xabi Alonso, Diaby took his game to new heights and now appears to be a player ready to take the Premier League by storm. His goal-scoring ability, vision and final pass to unlock defences would make him an upgrade over the hugely inconsistent Leon Bailey. If Villa do decide to offload Bailey, Diaby would be the Jamaican’s perfect replacement in attack.
All in all, Villa could continue building an exciting side under Emery with a hugely coveted player in Diaby. Having signed Tielemans and Torres, there is no reason why the Villans cannot make another statement by signing the France international from Bayer Leverkusen.
