Aston Villa winger Moussa Diaby is set to earn a staggering £400,000 a week in Saudi Arabia as he nears completion of a £60 million move to Al-Ittihad. The Frenchman will join fellow compatriots N’Golo Kante and Karim Benzema at his new club. This transfer will result in Villa making a significant profit, as they signed Diaby for a club record £43 million from Bayer Leverkusen just last summer.
Diaby had a successful season, contributing ten goals and nine assists across all competitions. Despite Unai Emery’s desire to keep the 25-year-old, Villa couldn’t turn down the massive offer. Diaby initially started last season in Villa’s starting lineup but dropped out due to Leon Bailey’s outstanding performances.
While Villa have re-signed Jaden Philogene from Hull for £12.6 million, they are still in the market for another forward. Atletico Madrid’s Joao Felix is on Emery’s radar as he looks to strengthen his attack. Felix, who was once valued at £101 million after impressing at Benfica, joined Atletico Madrid in 2019 for a hefty transfer fee. However, a fallout with manager Diego Simeone led to Felix being loaned out to Chelsea and Barcelona in the past seasons.
In addition to Diaby’s departure, Villa has also completed the signing of Everton’s Amadou Onana for a fee of £50 million. The Belgian international underwent a medical and will be officially confirmed as a Villa player soon. With these transfers, Villa’s summer spending reaches a total of £136.6 million on seven new signings.
The sale of Diaby for £60 million means that Villa has raised a significant amount through player sales, totaling £130.75 million. This demonstrates the club’s ability to make smart investments and earn profits from player transfers.
In other transfer news, Brentford is willing to lower their asking price for Ivan Toney to less than £50 million due to a lack of interest from other clubs. Manchester United has reportedly agreed on personal terms with Manuel Ugarte, who is eager to leave PSG this summer. Additionally, Tottenham is looking to hijack Fulham’s move for Scott McTominay, who would be a potential replacement for Ugarte in midfield.
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