Moussa Diaby’s Al-Ittihad future in doubt as former club step up pursuit

Moussa Diaby is increasingly likely to leave Al-Ittihad during the current summer transfer window after Bayer 04 Leverkusen accelerated negotiations to bring the France winger back to Germany.

Saudi journalist Majed Hood reported that Bayer 04 Leverkusen have intensified discussions with Al-Ittihad over a potential deal for the 27-year-old. He added that Diaby is now highly likely to depart the Saudi club, with Al-Ittihad already beginning to look for a replacement.

In a post on his personal account on X, Hood wrote: “Fast negotiations from Bayer Leverkusen with Al-Ittihad and Diaby will leave to a large extent… and the search for a replacement.”

The latest development marks a significant change in Diaby’s situation. Bayer 04 Leverkusen had opened talks with Al-Ittihad at the beginning of the summer transfer window, but negotiations had slowed considerably in recent weeks.

The German club’s renewed approach could now pave the way for Diaby to return to the side he represented between 2019 and 2023. He left Bayer 04 Leverkusen after three years to join Aston Villa, before moving to Al-Ittihad in the summer of 2024.

Diaby joined Al-Ittihad from Aston Villa and played a major role in the club’s success during his first season in Saudi Arabia. The winger helped the team win both the Saudi Pro League, also known as the Roshn Saudi League, and the King’s Cup.

However, his performances declined significantly last season. That drop in form led to speculation that he could leave Al-Ittihad, with several clubs reportedly linked with him. Inter Milan had emerged as one of the most prominent potential destinations before Bayer 04 Leverkusen entered the picture.

A return to Leverkusen would therefore represent the latest stage of a career that has taken Diaby from his previous spell in Germany to England and then Saudi Arabia. He could now be set to rejoin the club where he first established himself at the highest level.

Al-Ittihad’s willingness to search for a replacement suggests the club is preparing for the possibility of losing the winger this summer, although the available information does not confirm that an agreement has been completed.

Diaby’s prospective departure would mark the end of his time at Al-Ittihad after two years. Bayer 04 Leverkusen’s renewed negotiations, combined with the club’s reported preparations to identify a successor, have made his exit one of the main developing stories of the Saudi summer transfer window.