Aston Villa winger Moussa Diaby is on the brink of completing a £50.4m transfer to Al-Ittihad. The 25-year-old French international has traveled to Saudi Arabia to undergo a medical and finalize the deal after just one season at Villa Park.
Diaby joined Villa from Bayer Leverkusen last summer for a club-record fee of approximately £51.9m. Despite his contributions, which included 10 goals in 54 appearances and helping Villa secure a fourth-place finish in the Premier League, manager Unai Emery has opted to cash in on him.
The decision comes in the wake of Villa re-signing Jaden Philogene from Hull for around £13.5m. The club believes the academy graduate can have a significant impact on his return.
This move is part of a broader reshaping of Villa’s squad ahead of the new season. Last month, the club sold midfielder Douglas Luiz to Juventus for £42.4m. In return, Villa signed Samuel Iling-Junior and Enzo Barrenechea from the Italian club. Additionally, they acquired left-back Ian Maatsen from Chelsea for £35m and winger Lewis Dobbin from Everton for around £9m.
On Tuesday, Villa also secured the £50m signing of Everton midfielder Amadou Onana, further indicating their ambitious plans for the upcoming season.