In Focus: Villa not Mouss-ing around with Diaby swoop

In Moussa Diaby, Aston Villa have signed one of the most sought-after attackers in world football.

The Frenchman has been among the best players in the Bundesliga over the last four seasons and leaves Bayer Leverkusen on good terms.

Club chief Simon Rolfes said: "Moussa Diaby has developed into a fantastic player in his time at Bayer 04.

"Moussa has made his mark on our team in recent years with his unique style of play and incredible pace. With a special style of play, he's a person who has his heart in the right place."

We profile Diaby's career as he looks to carry that goodwill into his career with Villa.

Paris upbringing

Diaby is one of a number of Paris-born players excelling at the top of the game.

Kylian Mbappe, N'Golo Kante and Paul Pogba are also from the French capital and it is to Paris Saint-Germain's detriment that they have not built their team more around local talent.

Diaby was given a fleeting chance in their first team and is now surely a source of regret for the Ligue 1 champions as they watch him make a big-money move to the Premier League.

Instead, Villa will benefit from signing a winger who has established himself as one of the most dangerous in Europe over the last four years.

Claret and blue coup

Only Chelsea newbie and fellow PSG alumni Christopher Nkunku registered more Bundesliga goals and assists than Diaby across the last two seasons.

Villa's record signing hit double figures for goal involvements in all four of his league campaigns at Bayer Leverkusen, while he scored 14 times and set up eight in 36 European matches.

Those returns resulted in rumours of a return to Paris as well, as a move to Champions League clubs Arsenal and Newcastle.

That he has pitched up at Villa shows another perk of appointing a manager as admired as Unai Emery.

Speed and style

Diaby is listed as the fifth-fastest Bundesliga player since records began in 2011 but has much more to his game than pure speed.

The 24-year-old ranked joint-fourth in the German top flight for completed take-ons out of all positional rivals last season and was fifth for big chances created.

Of the same group of players, he also took more shots and shots on target than anybody else.

Upon signing the multi-faceted attacker for Villa, Emery said: "He's helping us, trying to improve our level of play in the attacking third.

"He is a winger, a striker and his best part is his capacity to attack, dribbling, running behind."

Young blood

Though Diaby comes at considerable expense, his signing resembles a striking difference to the business that Villa did last summer.

In 2022, Steven Gerrard splashed over £40m on Philippe Coutinho and Diego Carlos — players with little resale value who had to immediately fire to be worth the outlay.

Joined by Youri Tielamans and Pau Torres — both 26 — the Frenchman has time to bed in at Villa Park and could even be sold on down the line if his move goes to plan.

Emiliano Buendia, Ollie Watkins and Jacob Ramsey also contribute towards an attacking line-up that is capable of preserving Villa's spot in the European places at least.