Moussa Diaby poised for Al-Ittihad AFC Champions League play-off as Bayer Leverkusen transfer looms

Al-Ittihad winger Moussa Diaby is expected to be available for the AFC Champions League Elite play‑off against Emirati side Al Jazira at Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. The match, scheduled for Tuesday, will decide which club advances to the league stage of Asia’s premier club competition.

Diaby, who joined Al-Ittihad from Aston Villa in the summer of 2024 and helped the Saudi club secure a historic domestic double, has been given time off by coach Jens Wissing and travelled to Mecca before the fixture. Al‑Ittihad’s staff indicated that all players, including Diaby, will take part in the game.

Meanwhile, German Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen is pressing to complete Diaby’s transfer for a fee of less than €30 million, with a five‑year contract slated to keep him at the club until 2031. The German club wants the deal finalized before the Bundesliga season begins, while Al‑Ittihad weighs whether to retain the French winger for the play‑off or proceed with the sale.