Cercle Brugge face losing teenage midfielder Ibrahima Makaya Diaby to Al Ahli in €13.5m deal

Cercle Brugge could be on the verge of completing a major sale, with Saudi Pro League club Al Ahli prepared to pay €13.5m for 19-year-old midfielder Ibrahima Makaya Diaby, according to Le Parisien.

Diaby is expected to travel to Saudi Arabia and join his prospective new club on Sunday, suggesting the move is close to being completed. Unless there is a late change in circumstances, the Guinea midfielder could leave Cercle Brugge within the next few hours as the Saudi transfer window approaches its conclusion.

The proposed deal would represent a significant financial opportunity for Cercle Brugge. Although Diaby has only recently established himself in the team, the Belgian club may find it difficult to reject an offer of that size for a player who has emerged as one of its most promising young talents.

Diaby has been with Cercle Brugge for his second season and initially had to wait for a regular opportunity in the starting line-up. His breakthrough has come this campaign, when he gained the confidence of the coaching staff and began making a succession of starts.

The midfielder remains at an early stage of his development at senior level. He is still seeking greater consistency and continues to adapt to the demands of top-flight football, but his potential has attracted attention beyond Belgium.

Al Ahli appear particularly keen to conclude the recruitment quickly. If the move is confirmed, the Saudi club will secure a player who has only recently become an established member of the Cercle Brugge side, while Cercle will receive a substantial return after Diaby’s rapid rise.

An official announcement could follow soon, with the player’s anticipated arrival at Al Ahli viewed as a further indication that negotiations are nearing a conclusion.

Cercle Brugge are also due to play their sixth league match of the season against OH Leuven shortly. The supplied 1xBet betting prices list Cercle Brugge at 2.20 to win, a draw at 3.25 and an OH Leuven victory at 2.55.

The possible departure would come just as Diaby appeared to be securing an important role in the Cercle Brugge midfield. Having waited for his chance during his first season, he has now begun to feature regularly, making the timing of the proposed transfer especially significant for the Belgian club.

For Al Ahli, the deal would add one of the most highly regarded young players to have emerged from Cercle Brugge in recent months. For Diaby, it would mark a major step in his career only a few months after he truly established himself in the Bruges team.