Al-Ittihad set to lodge bid to sign Aston Villa’s Moussa Diaby

Saudi Arabia showed a strong interest in bringing Moussa Diaby (25) to the Gulf State last summer. Those efforts were ultimately in vain. The Frenchman, at Bayer Leverkusen at the time, made the choice to join Aston Villa, signing a five-year deal with the Premier League side, who have qualified for next season’s UEFA Champions League.

One year later, Saudi Arabia have returned to the table. The Gulf State is proving persistent in their efforts to land Diaby. Whilst it was Al-Nassr that challenged Aston Villa for his signature last summer, it is Al-Ittihad who are showing notable interest this summer, according to a report from Foot Mercato. 

Al-Ittihad already have two compatriots, in the form of N’Golo Kanté and Karim Benzema, in their squad, whilst they are also set to appoint a French manager, Laurent Blanc. Al-Ittihad are looking to continue the Frenchification of the club, through the signing of Diaby, who made 53 appearances for Aston Villa last season, scoring 10 goals and registering nine assists. The Saudi club’s interest in Diaby has been described as “strong” by Foot Mercato.

GFFN | Luke Entwistle