Saudi club Al-Ittihad have confirmed the signing of midfielder Moussa Diaby from Aston Villa on a five-year contract.
Diaby leaves Villa Park after just one season having joined the club in a record £51.9m deal from Bayer Leverkusen last summer.
The 25-year-old played a key role as Villa qualified for the Champions League, scoring ten goals and providing nine assists in 54 appearances in all competitions.
Diaby completes the move for Al-Ittihad
The winner had the opportunity to join the Saudi Pro League last summer and opted for the Premier League, but has now completed the switch after a year.
Diaby took to social media to thank the Villa fans for everything and said that he always gave his best to the team.
He wrote on X.com:
“Villans, thank you for everything. It's time to say goodbye.
“I have been giving everything possible to help the club and the team, we had good times that will remain in my memory. We had a great season, with moments of joy and happiness.”
Thank you for everything? @AVFCOfficial #M19?? pic.twitter.com/PeBweySSfX
– Moussa Diaby (@MoussaDiaby_19) July 24, 2024
Diaby will wear the number 19 shirt at Al-Ittihad and will have teammates such as N'Golo Kante and Karim Benzema.
When he completed his move, the Frenchman said he was very happy to be at the club and was looking forward to being part of the project.
“I am very happy to join Al-Ittihad and be part of a project that aims to build a strong team that reflects the club's rich history and values,” said Diaby.
Villa are thought to have received in the region of €60m for Diaby and have already made a number of signings as they prepare their squad for the demands of Champions League football.
Amadou Onana completed his £50m move from Everton earlier this week, while Ian Maatsen, Ross Barkely and Jaden Philogene have also joined the club.
Samuel Iling-Junior and Enzo Barrenechea arrived from Juventus as part of the Douglas Luiz swap deal, while Villa have now been linked with Atletico Madrid's Joao Felix.
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