Senegal striker Habib Diallo seals emotional return to FC Metz after five years away

Habib Diallo has completed a surprise return to FC Metz, signing a three-year deal that brings him back to the club where his professional career first took off.

The Senegal international, who spent the past five seasons between Strasbourg and Saudi side Al-Shabab, rejoined the Grenats at a time when the team has endured a difficult start to life back in Ligue 1, losing their first three matches of the season.

His comeback has been greeted with delight by Metz supporters, many of whom see him as the missing piece in their attack.

“He’s experienced, he knows the club, and he doesn’t need time to adapt. Most importantly, he scores goals,” said Michel, one of the fans who attended the open training session to watch Diallo in action. “We’re counting on him to make up for our lack of firepower,” added Pascal and Bertrand, two other long-standing supporters.

Diallo’s story with Metz stretches back more than a decade. The striker arrived in 2013 from Dakar’s Génération Foot academy, the renowned Senegalese talent factory with close ties to the French club.

By 2015, he had signed his first professional contract and quickly developed into a consistent goalscorer, registering 48 goals in 116 league matches across Ligue 1 and Ligue 2. He captained the side in his final season before sealing a record €10 million move to Strasbourg in 2020.

While his transfer was not universally welcomed by Metz supporters at the time, Diallo went on to thrive in Alsace. His most prolific spell came during the 2022–23 campaign, when he netted 20 Ligue 1 goals.

However, his subsequent move to Saudi Arabia with Al-Shabab in 2023 failed to live up to expectations. Struggles on the pitch and a strained relationship with his coach culminated in a mutual contract termination after just two seasons.

Speaking about his decision to return, the 30-year-old forward underlined the personal and emotional pull of coming back to Lorraine. “My daughter and my sister still live here.

This is where I started my career, so returning to Metz was natural. I had other offers, but I preferred to come back here rather than go anywhere else,” he explained.

For Metz, who were promoted this season and are operating on a limited budget, securing Diallo’s signature represents a significant coup. Sporting director Frédéric Arpinon admitted even he was surprised to see the deal materialise.

“If someone had told me he’d be back so soon, I wouldn’t have believed it. I was ready to go and carry him on my back myself!” he joked. “His desire to return shows that Metz is a club that still matters deeply to its players.”

While the expectation on Diallo is immense, the striker has made it clear that he cannot shoulder the responsibility of keeping the club in Ligue 1 on his own.

“There are eleven of us on the pitch. I won’t save the club alone. If Metz survives, it will be the result of collective effort,” he said.

Diallo’s numbers speak for themselves: 53 goals in 150 Ligue 1 appearances. He has already marked his return with a goal in a friendly against Strassen, a 7-1 victory that hinted at what fans may expect from him in competitive matches.

His official second debut could come this Sunday when Metz face Angers, a match eagerly anticipated by the Saint-Symphorien faithful.

For Metz, Diallo’s return is more than just a transfer – it is a reunion with a proven goalscorer and a player whose bond with the club remains intact.

For Diallo, it is a chance to reignite his career in familiar colours and to help steer the Grenats towards survival in France’s top flight.