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Moussa Diaby Sacrificed €15 Million To Return To Bayer Leverkusen
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- Moussa Diaby Sacrificed €15 Million To Return To Bayer Leverkusen
Moussa Diaby was so determined to return to Bayer Leverkusen that he was willing to walk away from a significant portion of his remaining Saudi Arabian salary.
According to Sport Bild, as reported by Foot Mercato, the French winger has sacrificed around €15 million net by leaving Al-Ittihad and returning to the Bundesliga. Diaby still had three years remaining on his lucrative contract in Saudi Arabia, where he was reportedly earning around €12 million net per season.
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The 27-year-old, however, had made it clear that he wanted to leave.
Rather than continuing in Saudi Arabia, Diaby actively pushed for a return to Die Werkself , the club where he had previously established himself as one of the Bundesliga's most dangerous wingers.
The situation became particularly tense during the final stages of the transfer. With the move at risk of collapsing, Diaby reportedly made it clear to Al-Ittihad that he would not reverse his decision. He wanted to return to Germany, and ultimately got his wish.
Moussa Diaby Is Back at Leverkusen And He Has Something to Prove
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Leverkusen eventually paid around €28 million to bring their former player back, while Diaby agreed to a contract running until 2031. His new salary is reportedly around €7 million gross per year, meaning his financial situation is significantly different from the one he enjoyed in Saudi Arabia. He also negotiated a severance payment from Al-Ittihad, reducing the overall financial loss, but is still estimated to be giving up around €15 million net over the remaining three years of his Saudi contract.
The decision gives another indication of what motivated Diaby to make the move.
After leaving Leverkusen for Aston Villa in 2023, before joining Al-Ittihad a year later, the winger had spent the previous two seasons in Saudi Arabia. Despite recording 11 goals and 33 assists in 73 appearances, he was ultimately ready to give up a substantial amount of money for another opportunity in Europe.
Diaby's return also fits directly into Leverkusen's plans under Carles Martínez. The new head coach wants explosive wide players capable of attacking from the flanks in his 4-3-3 system, and Diaby offers a profile the club already knows extremely well.
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His first spell at Die Werkself produced 49 goals and 50 assists in 172 competitive appearances, before his €50 million move to Aston Villa in 2023. Three years later, he is back at the BayArena - and this time, he has made it clear that the opportunity to compete for major trophies matters more to him than maximising his salary.
For Leverkusen , the €28 million investment is significant. But Diaby's willingness to sacrifice €15 million of his own future earnings makes the story of his return even more striking.
