Premier League side Newcastle United have reportedly cooled their interest in Bayer Leverkusen winger Moussa Diaby due to his £60 million valuation.
According to a report by Football Insider, Newcastle United are prepared to back down from their pursuit of electric French winger Moussa Diaby. The Magpies have distanced themselves from a potential summer move for the Leverkusen attacker, apparently due to his exorbitant asking price of over £60 million.
The France international has been closely linked with a move to Newcastle in recent days as manager Eddie Howe looks to add a goalscoring wide forward this summer. However, it appears the Magpies are ready to look elsewhere as they are not interested in matching Leverkusen’s hefty £60 million asking price for their prized asset.
Diaby has been one of the brightest young attackers in Germany in recent seasons, prompting Premier League interest from Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, and Arsenal. However, recent reports suggested that Newcastle had stolen a march on their league rivals and ramped up their pursuit of Diaby, aiming to make him their marquee summer addition.
A wide midfielder appears to be high on the priority list for Newcastle’s new director of football, Dan Ashworth, along with several other positions. After a stellar season in the Bundesliga, Diaby’s name has been bandied around as the player to fulfil Howe’s quest for a new winger.
Diaby netted 13 goals and racked up 12 assists in 32 league games, helping Leverkusen secure Champions League football with a third-placed finish. He also chipped in with four goals and two assists in eight Europa League matches. It is easy to see why he has been targeted by Newcastle thanks to his incredibly high ceiling at just 22 years.
The versatile attacker could have been a transformational signing for Newcastle, offering a thrilling new dimension to Newcastle’s right flank with his pace and goalscoring ability. He would have provided a real balance to the Magpies’ attack and facing him and Allan Saint-Maximin on either flank would have been a nightmare for most defences.
However, the £60 million price tag set by Bayer Leverkusen on the 22-year-old has been regarded as too steep by the Newcastle hierarchy, who will now look into alternative options. Diaby possesses incredible ability and is still some way off of his prime years, making him not just an attractive proposition not only for the here and now, but also a worthwhile long-term investment.
Having said that, the Magpies have previously demonstrated that, despite their status as the “richest club in the world” they will not be held to ransom in terms of transfer fees and have decided to end their chase of Diaby as they seek to strengthen multiple areas across the pitch rather than putting all of their eggs in one basket.
