According to renowned football journalist Fabrizio Romano, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) forward Moussa Diaby will join Juventus on a pure loan deal, with the Turin club taking on the player's full salary. With Diaby's move to Juventus, PSG's significant investment in the French forward is considered to have been wasted.
In the summer of 2023, PSG spent a transfer fee of 95 million euros to bring Diaby from Eintracht Frankfurt to the Parc des Princes. Prior to joining PSG, Diaby had an impressive record, contributing 26 goals and 14 assists in a single season for Frankfurt. He also nearly helped the French national team retain the World Cup title in Qatar in 2022.
However, despite his promising form, Diaby struggled to adapt at PSG. In his 19 months at the club, he became somewhat of a spectator. This season, he has only played 14 Ligue 1 games, scoring 2 goals with no assists. His performance in the UEFA Champions League has been equally disappointing. Under coach Christophe Galtier, the 95-million-euro forward seems expendable.
Due to his underwhelming performances at PSG, Diaby's market value has plummeted. As the player with the biggest drop in value in world football in 2024, the French forward's value has decreased by a staggering 40 million euros. Currently, Diaby's value has fallen from 95 million euros upon joining PSG to just 30 million euros.
For Juventus, however, securing a player like Diaby is a stroke of luck. Even though his value has diminished, as a key striker for the French national team, the 26-year-old still possesses considerable fighting power. Moreover, in Massimiliano Allegri's current tactical setup, the Bianconeri desperately need a target man up front. Before Diaby's arrival, Allegri only had Dusan Vlahovic as a genuine center-forward option. Whenever the Serbian was injured or out of form, Juventus had to rely on individual efforts to create attacks. The team's struggles this season, becoming known as the "peace ambassadors" of the top five leagues, can be largely attributed to a lack of options in attack.
As revealed by Sky Sports Radio, before making his decision, Diaby held discussions with the coaches of four teams interested in signing him. He listened to the ideas of AC Milan's Stefano Pioli, Tottenham Hotspur's Antonio Conte, Manchester United's Erik ten Hag, and Juventus' Allegri. Ultimately, Diaby was convinced by Allegri and made the decision to join Juventus!
