Moussa Diaby’s anticipated return to Bayer Leverkusen remains in limbo as the French winger holds severance negotiations with Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittihad. The 27-year-old is seeking an early exit from his contract, which runs until 2029, little more than a year after arriving from Aston Villa for €60 million.
Severance settlement required
Diaby must reach a financial agreement with the Jeddah club before completing any transfer. He remains active for Al-Ittihad in the meantime, having provided an assist during their 4-1 victory over UAE side Al-Jazira Club in the Asian Champions League preliminary qualifiers earlier this week.
The delay centres on the terms of his departure rather than the destination. Despite reported interest from AC Milan, Diaby has already reached an agreement with Leverkusen over a potential return. The transfer fee is expected to be less than €30 million—roughly half the amount Al-Ittihad invested to sign him from the Premier League in 2023.
Previous Leverkusen success
This would mark Diaby’s second spell at the BayArena following a productive four-year tenure between 2019 and 2023. During his first stint, the former Paris Saint-Germain youth product scored 49 goals in 172 appearances, earning him a €55 million move to Aston Villa.
The France international, who has earned 11 caps for his country, would bolster Leverkusen’s attacking options should the severance discussions conclude successfully. Al-Ittihad appear willing to facilitate his departure, but the two parties must first resolve the outstanding financial arrangements.
Until that severance package is agreed, the transfer cannot proceed to completion, leaving the winger in contractual limbo despite his clear preference for a return to Bundesliga football.