Moussa Diaby has returned to Bayer Leverkusen from Saudi Arabian club Al-Ittihad on a contract running until 2031, with the Bundesliga side confirming the deal on Tuesday.
The 27-year-old former Aston Villa and France winger is heading back to the BayArena after leaving Leverkusen for Birmingham in 2023. German tabloid Bild reported that Bayer Leverkusen paid €27m to bring Diaby back from Al-Ittihad.
Diaby said he had no hesitation about accepting the opportunity to return to the club where he established himself as one of the Bundesliga’s most effective attacking players.
“When the request came, and the move was possible, I didn't doubt it for a second,” Diaby said in a statement, adding, “the club has gotten bigger in the meantime - aiming for titles with Leverkusen is a very big goal of mine.”
The Frenchman originally joined Leverkusen from Paris Saint-Germain in 2019 and went on to produce 31 goals and 37 assists in 125 Bundesliga appearances. His pace and ability to play from wide positions made him a major part of the team’s attacking threat during his first spell at the club.
Diaby also made his France debut while he was a Bayer Leverkusen player. He subsequently won 11 caps for the two-time world champions, although his most recent appearance for the national team came before Euro 2024.
Aston Villa paid €55m to sign Diaby from Leverkusen in 2023. His time in Birmingham lasted one year before he moved to Saudi Arabia and joined Al-Ittihad.
His return gives Leverkusen another attacking option as they seek to strengthen their squad. The club were double winners in 2023-24 but missed out on Champions League football last season, increasing the need to improve their attacking resources.
Diaby’s new agreement keeps him at Bayer Leverkusen until 2031 and marks a return to the club where he made 125 Bundesliga appearances after arriving from Paris Saint-Germain. His previous spell also saw him progress to the France senior team, before his move first to Aston Villa and then to Al-Ittihad.
The transfer brings the winger back to the BayArena after three years away. Leverkusen’s decision to re-sign him follows the club’s search for greater attacking strength, while Diaby has made clear that competing for trophies with his former club was a central reason for accepting the move.