Aston Villa boss explains shock exit as Arsenal tipped to move for Man Utd transfer target

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has revealed winger Moussa Diaby pushed for a move to Saudi Arabia last month before joining Pro League club Al-Ittihad.

The eleven-times capped France international was one of Emery’s most high-profile signings last summer as the Villa boss saw off competition from several clubs to land the Bayer Leverkusen star in a £48m deal. Diaby went on to score ten goals and provide nine assists in 54 appearances in all competitions during what would be his only season with the club as Emery’s side made a successful push for a place in the Champions League.

However, Diaby will not feature when Villa take their place at European football’s top table after he made a reported £54m move to Al-Ittihad, where he will count former Chelsea star N’Golo Kante and former Liverpool midfielder Fabinho amongst his team-mates. Reflecting on the winger’s exit, Emery stressed Villa accepted the offer because they felt it was a ‘good deal’ for a player he felt wanted the move to the gulf state.

Speaking ahead of Saturday’s visit to West Ham United, he said: "Firstly, we received a very good offer from Saudi Arabia and he himself told me he had decided he wanted to accept it. And we opened the door for him because when one player was giving us this message, we weren’t refusing him to go and it was a good deal for us. I was happy with him, he played good performances. The first year his adaptation was good - not fantastic - but enough to help us. I was thinking he could develop more and improve more on last year, but we accepted it because it was a good deal for us."

Gunners backed for cut-price move for England star

Arsenal’s need to add a new striker to their squad could lead them to move for Brentford star Ivan Toney.

That was the verdict of Sky Sports News pundit Stephen Warnock, who believes the England international would provide Mikel Arteta with an invaluable option as he looks to challenge for the Premier League title once again during the new season. The Gunners have already completed two big money deals during the summer transfer window after Arteta converted David Raya’s loan move into a permanent £26m deal before swooping to sign Italy defender Riccardo Calafiori in a £39m move from Serie A club Bologna.

With thoughts now turning towards adding a striker to the Arsenal squad, Warnock believes Toney could provide a shrewd option for Arteta to take as he ventures into the final year of his contract with the Bees.

He said: “I think they (Arsenal) do need a striker,” the former Blackburn Rovers and Aston Villa defender said. “It’s good to have the options. I think it’s nice knowing that, off the bench, you have the ability to change a game and a change the style of play, at times. I think that’s probably what they need to kick onto the next level. I just wonder if they are waiting with the Ivan Toney situation to really push Brentford to the point where they don’t want to lose him for £20m in January, or even worse case, the year after, you lose him for nothing. I think they will be looking at that situation.