Newcastle United are reportedly set to make a final push to land summer priority target Moussa Diaby from Bayer Leverkusen this summer.
According to The Northern Echo, Premier League club Newcastle United have identified Bayer Leverkusen attacker Moussa Diaby as a key acquisition this summer and will make a final push to land him.
The former Paris Saint-Germain man came through the ranks at Parc des Princes before moving to Bayer Leverkusen in 2019. Diaby has since established himself as a regular for the German giants and is a mainstay in their attack.
Primarily a left-winger, Diaby is also capable of playing on the other flank. An excellent dribbler, the 23-year-old is a player who likes to directly engage with the opposition defence. This should hold him in good stead in the Premier League.
Despite their newfound wealth, Newcastle have been largely guarded against splashing the cash. Sven Botman and Matt Targett are the club’s two lone outfield signings this summer, although they have strengthened the Magpies’ defence heading into the 2022/23 campaign.
Newcastle enjoyed an excellent turnaround in their form under Eddie Howe and proved themselves difficult opponents to the best teams in the league. Taking a measured approach that allows them to bring in the right player would be the best way forward for the Tyneside giants.
Newcastle hit the jackpot with Bruno Guimaraes in January and are now in negotiations with Bayer Leverkusen for Diaby. So far, the German club’s unwillingness to compromise on their asking price has proven detrimental.
A centre-forward and a wide player are on the club’s agenda, and they are now assessing alternatives as the 2022/23 campaign draws near. Despite Gerardo Seoane’s unwillingness to part with Diaby, Newcastle United look set to make a final push to land their man from Bayer Leverkusen.
The Bundesliga club’s sporting director, Simon Rolfes has left the door open for a bid, and the onus is now on the Magpies to make an offer that cannot be refused. Newcastle are ready to fork out around £40 million for the 23-year-old’s services, making him their record signing. While it is well below Leveruksen’s asking price, it is still a lot of money for a player who is far from the finished piece, even though he is their priority target.
Signing Diaby will give Howe enough bite in an attack that has fallen short of expectations. Allan Saint-Maximin is by far Newcastle’s most electric attacking player, and most of the club’s best moves pass through him. Giving Newcastle another source of inspiration in Diaby will make them less difficult to predict, adding more options to break down opposition defences.
More so, it will vastly strengthen the Magpies on both flanks. Diaby and Targett could dovetail on the left, with Saint-Maximin and Kieran Trippier wreaking havoc on the other flank. While Diaby might not be a name that gets the pulses racing, he could prove to be a shrewd acquisition who can fit in well into Howe’s system.
