Al-Ittihad weigh attacking changes as Moussa Diaby edges towards Bayer Leverkusen return

Moussa Diaby is close to ending his time at Al-Ittihad and returning to Bayer Leverkusen after the Saudi club and the France winger reached an agreement over his outstanding financial claims.

The resolution removes the main obstacle that had delayed Diaby’s move back to his former club for almost four weeks. According to Al-Riyadiya, citing German magazine Kicker, the disagreement was settled in the past few hours.

Diaby had told Al-Ittihad that he was “not mentally ready” to take part in recent matches while he focused on negotiations over a transfer to Bayer Leverkusen, who won the Bundesliga in the 2023-24 season.

The move is expected to be completed for a fee slightly below 30m euros. Sky journalist Florian Plettenberg said on Wednesday that the two clubs had reached a full verbal agreement over the value of the transfer, which will be permanent rather than a loan.

Diaby is expected to sign a contract with Bayer Leverkusen running until 2031. The clubs are now working through the final details before making an official announcement.

A medical examination and the signing of the formal contracts are the next steps. Kicker reports that Diaby is expected to undergo his medical in the coming days.

If completed, the transfer will bring an end to the winger’s two-season spell with Al-Ittihad. The club has already begun considering possible replacements, although its management is waiting for Diaby’s departure to be formally concluded before finalising decisions over alternatives.

One of the leading options is Japan international Ritsu Doan, the Eintracht Frankfurt winger. Al-Ittihad are understood to have included Doan among their principal targets for replacing Diaby, alongside several other candidates.

Doan made 40 appearances for Eintracht Frankfurt last season, scoring seven goals and providing six assists. His market value is estimated at about 17m euros by Transfermarkt.

Al-Ittihad are also considering Nice midfielder Hicham Boudaoui as a possible addition to their midfield. Ivory Coast international Franck Kessie, meanwhile, has emerged as a candidate to replace defender Stefan Keller if Keller completes his expected departure.

Diaby’s future had remained uncertain for several weeks, with the lack of agreement over his financial entitlements preventing the transfer from progressing. That issue has now been addressed, leaving the medical and contract signatures as the remaining requirements.

The former Bayer Leverkusen player missed Al-Ittihad’s most recent match against Al Hazem after telling German manager Jens Wissing that he was not mentally ready to play. Wissing confirmed the incident after the match, which Al-Ittihad won 3-2.

With Diaby’s return to Germany now closer than at any previous point in the negotiations, attention at Al-Ittihad has shifted towards reshaping the squad. Doan is among the leading attacking possibilities, while Boudaoui and Kessie are being assessed in separate areas of the team.