Newcastle United have reportedly made a fresh enquiry over the potential availability of the Bayer Leverkusen speedster Moussa Diaby, who is also a target for Premier League leaders Arsenal.
According to the Daily Mail, Newcastle United have asked to be kept up-to-date on any transfer developments involving Moussa Diaby, with the Magpies facing a transfer war with Arsenal to land the 23-year-old Bayer Leverkusen star this month.
A PSG academy product, Diaby struggled for regular game time at Parc des Princes before moving to Germany in 2019 and exploding onto the scene with Bayer Leverkusen.
Arguably the fastest player in the Bundesliga, he has really caught the eye with his blistering pace, effervescent dribbling, and excellent end product. Since the start of last season, Diaby has scored 19 goals and provided 15 assists, which is a great return from out-wide.
Even though Leverkusen had a terrible start to the ongoing season and have recovered under new boss Xabi Alonso, currently sitting 12th in the Bundesliga, the 23-year-old has remained a bright spark with 12 goal contributions in all competitions, albeit his side’s dip in form cost him a place in France’s World Cup squad.
Needless to say, there are plenty of suitors lining up to land his services. Newcastle United, for one, have held a long-term interest in the former Paris Saint-Germain attacker.
The Magpies were strongly linked with a move for the 23-year-old over last summer before being forced to end their pursuit of Diaby due to Leverkusen demanding an exorbitant fee to sanction his sale following an outstanding 2021/22 campaign which saw him smash 17 goals and 14 assists.
That said, Diaby has returned to Newcastle’s radar in recent days, with the Leverkusen winger described as an “absolute dream” signing for the summer by German outlet Bild.
Miguel Almiron’s redemption arc this season has been incredible to watch but Newcastle does still need another winger with Ryan Fraser linked with moves away from the club. There is, however, growing speculation in Europe that the Toon will face stiff competition from Arsenal for the highly-rated winger.
Having missed out on Mudryk, Arsenal have turned their attention to Diaby and have made “initial contacts” with his parent club as Mikel Arteta and co. look to add another forward to their ranks this window.
Diaby fits the bill perfectly thanks to his similar characteristics to Mudryk. He boasts a rapid pace but has also proven that he has the end product, which makes him a dangerous attacking weapon.
There’s one issue, though. While Leverkusen wants to raise funds this month through outgoing transfers in order to balance their books, Diaby is not a player they would entertain losing in the middle of the season.
Diaby’s current contract at BayArena is not due to expire until the summer of 2025, leaving Leverkusen in a very strong position at the negotiating table.
They would most likely look at the transfer fees Chelsea paid for Mudryk or Manchester United paid for Antony and be well within their rights to demand similar or even higher fees, given Diaby’s performance in one of Europe’s top divisions.
And at that price, a move to Arsenal or Newcastle United appears unlikely this month, with both clubs acting as shrewd transfer market operators not afraid to walk away from pricey deals.
