Aston Villa beat out Saudi side Al-Nassr to sign Bayer Leverkusen winger Moussa Diaby.
According to Fabrizio Romano, the Birmingham side will pay a club-record fee of €50 million plus €10 million add-ons for the France international. Diaby was formally unveiled on Friday and joined the squad on a preseason tour in the United States.
The 24-year-old scored 49 goals in 172 appearances across all competitions for Leverkusen between 2019 and 2023. In 2021/22 he scored 13 league goals in 32 matches.
Diaby signed for Leverkusen from Paris Saint-Germain where he tallied four goals in 34 total appearances during the 2018/19 season. He’s a former French youth international who has won 10 caps for the France senior side since 2021.
“We are really excited and happy with him.”
“We are very happy. This year we had to add something different,” said Aston Villa manager Unai Emery.
“We were following and he can improve our level in the attacking third,” the boss assed. “He can play as a left winger. We are really excited and happy with him. We have to rebuild our structure, and Moussa gives us something.”
Villa captain and Scotland international John McGinn said: “If you love football you know who he is, you are excited by him coming in.
“We knew the rumours but then he popped through the door and was at the hotel and knows some of the players already which helps,” he added. “Lots of players here don’t have European experience and that will help us as a team.”
Villa continue their preseason tour of the United States with a friendly against Fulham on Wednesday night at 7:00 p.m. EST.
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