Aston Villa have been told that they will need to break their transfer record if they want to sign Bayer Leverkusen’s exciting French winger Moussa Diaby.
That’s according to TalkSport, who claim that the German outfit value the 24-year-old at over £50 million.
This comes after Villa saw their opening offer of £30 million plus add-ons rejected for Diaby, who has previously been linked with Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United.
The bid comes after it emerged yesterday that Villa were also interested in Nottingham Forest winger Brennan Johnson.
The Welsh winger is believed to be valued at around £40 million by the East Midlands side, despite Forest demanding £50 million when Brentford launched a £30 million offer for the forward.
Whether Villa will turn their attention back to Johnson, if their bid for Diaby fails to come off, remains to be seen.
Aston Villa really determined to sign Moussa Diaby
According to Florian Plettenberg, of Sky Germany, Villa did put in an offer for the Leverkusen wide man, with Unai Emery’s side offering €45 million (£38 million).
But Leverkusen are said to be demanding €60 million (£51 million) for the exciting Frenchman.
It’s easy to see why not only Villa but Newcastle, too, are believed to be interested. His rapid pace, his creativity, and his eye for goal, with 14 goals and 11 assists in all competitions, make him an interesting option for Villa.
Unai Emery is well aware of the talents that the 24-year-old possesses, with Emery at PSG when the French forward was breaking through the first team.
The Telegraph have also claimed that Villa are confident that a deal will be struck with Leverkusen, who are managed by Xabi Alonso.
The signing of Diaby would be a real statement of intent by Villa, who are competing in Europe for the first time since 2011, when they made the UEFA Europa League under Martin O’Neill before Gerard Houllier took over.
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