Moussa Diaby (foto: Getty Images)
Al Ittihad has offered Aston Villa $55 million for winger Moussa Diaby, as the player contemplates a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia over staying in the Champions League.
Moussa Diaby is at a crossroads. The Aston Villa winger is weighing the option of remaining with the Premier League club and playing in the Champions League against a lucrative offer to move to the Middle East, where the sun of Arabia is accompanied by a flood of dollars.
Al Ittihad has made a concrete offer of $55 million to Aston Villa, the same amount Villa paid to Bayer Leverkusen last summer. The Saudis had previously offered $40 million for the French winger.
No final agreement has been reached between the clubs or between Diaby and Al Ittihad. Reliable sources indicate that Aston Villa is looking to raise the price and secure a few more million. On the other hand, recent reports from French media suggest Diaby could earn significantly more in Jeddah. While he currently earns $4.5 million in Birmingham, his potential salary in Saudi Arabia could be $15 million net, more than triple his current earnings.
Unai Emery views Diaby as a crucial part of a team that last season defeated both Arsenal and Manchester City, the Premier League title contenders. However, it is clear that keeping a player against his will is not sensible. It appears that Diaby is prioritizing money over elite football.
Despite not being a starter for the entire season, the former Paris Saint-Germain player was close to achieving a double-double, scoring ten goals and providing nine assists in 54 matches across all competitions.
If all parties reach an agreement, this would be the first blockbuster transfer in Saudi Arabia this summer. Diaby would join a team where new coach Laurent Blanc aims to build a French colony. Current members include Karim Benzema and N'Golo Kanté, with Houssem Aouar from Roma close to signing. Diaby would likely feel more comfortable and at home in Arabia among so many compatriots.