Aston Villa are enjoying a transfer window fitting for a team taking its first steps onto Europe's elite stage – and that's despite being forced to weave around the Premier League's PSR restrictions.
Having watched Newcastle United buck the division's 'big six' during the 2022/23 campaign, Villa decided they wanted a slice of the pie, with Unai Emery assembling a fantastic team that is still going from strength to strength.
This product is not complete – not by half. The Midlands club have done anything but rest on their laurels this summer, with a flurry of activity in the market making a telling comment on the direction that Aston Villa bosses are determined to drive toward.
Ian Maatsen (£35m)
Douglas Luiz (£42.5m)
Samuel Iling-Junior (£12.5m)
Tim Iroegbunam (£9m)
Lewis Dobbin (£10m)
Morgan Sanson (£3m)
Enzo Barrenechea (£7m)
Philippe Coutinho (loan)
Ross Barkley (£5m)
Calum Chambers (released)
Cameron Archer (£0m)
Further signings are in the pipeline; a £13m deal has been agreed to re-sign Jaden Philogene from Hull City, for example. But perhaps more tantalising is the news that a £50m fee has been agreed with Everton for the transfer of tough-tackling midfielder Amadou Onana, whose prospective deal has been all but cinched with personal terms already agreed.
The 22-year-old Belgian was described as a "monster duel winner" by analyst Raj Chohan and may well be the perfect Douglas Luiz replacement, more grounded in his style but joining a crop of midfielders boasting myriad strengths when viewed as a collective.
There's no hiding from the fact that it's another big outlay, and, as such, there may yet be further departures at Villa Park before the close of the window in September, with Moussa Diaby moving toward a surprising exit.
Saudi interest in Moussa Diaby
As per journalist Gianluigi Longari, Al-Ittihad have agreed personal terms to sign Diaby this summer, with the Saudi Pro League side willing to pay €60m (£51m) to sign the Frenchman.
A strange deal. No disrespect to the Gulf's football project it's overall quality isn't of the same standard as the Premier League, and with Villa qualifying for the Champions League, the 25-year-old has the chance to put his name on the map.
Moreover, the Lions signed Diaby from Bayer Leverkusen just one year ago, and for a club-record £52m fee at that. It might be a questionable career move but selling Diaby, who is earning a healthy £130k per week, might not actually be the worst idea.
Why Villa should cash in on Moussa Diaby
Firstly, Diaby enjoyed a comparatively successful debut season in England but he certainly didn't set the world alight, posting ten goals and nine assists over 54 matches in all competitions.
The right-sided forward notched 14 goal contributions from 38 Premier League matches but he was only entrusted with 25 starting berths, with his underlying numbers leaving plenty to be desired. Indeed, as per Sofascore, Diaby averaged only 0.8 dribbles, 1.6 ball recoveries and 1.5 successful duels per game.
To put that in perspective, Philogene averaged 2.7 dribbles, 4.2 recoveries and 7.2 successful duels per Championship match last term.
Diaby ranked among the top 13% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists per 90, as per FBref, but that's about the extent of his eye-catching metrics.
Given that the likes of Samuel Iling-Junior, Lewis Dobbin and Philogene have been welcomed to the flanks, augmenting the existing ranks consisting of Leon Bailey, Morgan Rogers, Jacob Ramsey and Co, cashing in for a lucrative figure and further placating PSR, in the long run, might be a prudent move.
Emery will probably not want to wave goodbye to the talented winger, who has been hailed for his "deadly" offensive quality in the past by talent scout Jacek Kulig, but, alas.
While NSWE would not be making a profit on Diaby, his sale would still fetch a pretty penny – marginally more than Onana's £50m signing.
This could be crucial in maintaining a sense of balance on the books and ensuring that the Villans continue their meteoric rise but do so with the piercing gaze of PSR diverted.
It might be a bit of a blow but it certainly wouldn't be detrimental – this might actually be a sacrifice worth making; Aston Villa will continue to go from strength to strength.
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1 ByRoss KilvingtonJul 13, 2024