Aston Villa have confirmed the signing of Moussa Diaby in a deal said to be worth in the region of £35 million plus add-ons.
Diaby has also been heavily linked with a move to Saudi Arabia with reports suggesting Al Nassr was also interested in the French man’s signature.
Despite these reports, the lure of playing with Unai Emery and in the Premier League favoured the 24-year-old over the riches of the Middle East.
Diaby becomes Aston Villa’s third summer signing following the arrivals of Youri Tielemans and Pau Torres.
Player Profile
Full Name: Moussa Diaby
Date of Birth: 7 July 1999 (Age 24)
Place of Birth: Paris, France
Positions: Midfielder (Centre, Left, Right), Forward
Bio: Diaby came through the academy at Paris Saint-Germain and began playing for the B team in 2017. He spent the second half of the 2017-18 season in Italy with F.C Crotone where he would make just two appearances.
In 2018, Moussa became the 124th academy graduate when he scored on his debut against St-Ettiene in a 4-0 win. He went on to make 25 appearances that campaign, scoring four goals and averaging an assist every 190 minutes.
The following summer he moved to Germany with Bayer Leverkusen in a deal said to be worth a reported £13 million. He has gone on to score 31 goals in 125 appearances during four seasons in the Bundesliga. 9 of those goals and 8 assists came last season as Leverkusen finished 6th, qualifying for the Europa League.
Player Analysis
Strengths: Through balls, Finishing, Key Passes.
Weaknesses: Aerial Duels, Discipline, Defensive contribution.
Style of Play: Likes to dribble, Counter attack threat, Does not dive into tackles.
Diaby has become a fan favourite at Leverkusen for his fast direct style of play. He is known for contributing to both goals and assists for his team.
He likes to shoot low, hard and into the corners. Standing at just 5 foot 5, he is now the most powerful and dominant of attackers but his speed and confidence can make him electric and terrifying for opposition defences.
His ability to beat his man is improving by the season and I am sure Emery will be looking to take him to the next level. He is regarded as one of the most exciting young wingers in European football.
Player analysis stats from whoscored.com
