Newcastle United could fortify the ranks considerably this summer by completing the signing of Bayer Leverkusen's Moussa Diaby, whom they have been linked with this season.
While the £300m PIF takeover in October 2021 was met with universal excitement from all affiliated with the Magpies, few could have imagined manager Eddie Howe could have orchestrated such an emphatic ascension to the top in such a short period of time.
But that is indeed what has happened and Newcastle now find themselves perched in third place in the Premier League with just five matches left to play, and with European football firmly on the cards for next season, bolstering the team with a few signings of admirable quality could go a long way towards cementing this newfound stature.
While the club boast a wealth of exciting options across the offensive third, there is an acceptance that the right signings out wide could enrich their pool of talent – and Diaby could be the superlative choice in this regard.
According to the Daily Mail, United's technical director Dan Ashworth is interested in completing a deal in the coming months, though will have to contest against divisional rivals Arsenal – who are believed to hold a 'serious interest' in the Frenchman – and Manchester United, while Real Madrid are also possible suitors.
Diaby would cost no less than £50m, but with such an exciting natural ability and an impressive output this term, he could be just the man to elevate Howe's outfit to the next level.
Should Newcastle sign Moussa Diaby?
The Leverkusen ace is a hot commodity on the European scene at present, flourishing with Die Werkself by plundering 49 goals and 48 assists since completing a transfer to the German Bundesliga outfit from Paris Saint-Germain in 2019.
The 23-year-old has been in resounding form this term, scoring 14 goals and supplying 11 assists from 43 matches across all competitions, playing an instrumental role in his club's Europa League campaign with three goals and one assist ahead of their semi-final tie against Roma.
As per FBref, the £32k-per-week gem ranks among the top 17% of attacking midfielders and wingers over the past 365 days for rate of goals, the top 20% for rate of assists and the top 15% for progressive carries per 90, illustrating his direct threat and dynamic danger in front of goal, with Diaby flourishing as an effective striker and reliable auxiliary option.
And with his average Sofascore rating in the league this term at an impressive 7.20, averaging 2.4 shots per match and having created 14 big chances, the "incredibly dangerous" star – as praised by teammate Nils Petersen – wields all the tools to flourish in Howe's well-oiled unit – and is perhaps even capable of replacing Allan Saint-Maximin, whose presence has waned this term.
Since signing for the Toon for £20m in 2019, the 26-year-old enigma has been erratic as lightning, ringing opposition alarm bells with his fleet-footed brilliance.
However, he has never managed to channel his abilities into something prolific, having failed to clinch more than five goals or assists in any of his three full Premier League campaigns to date.
And with injuries and a lack of trust leaving him with just 11 divisional starts all season alongside one solitary strike, Howe's patience might be wearing thin as he looks for a figure to lead the line with consistent devastation.
With Newcastle now searching for a spot at the forefront of the game, Howe and co must be ruthless in meticulously crafting a team best fit to leading an endearing fanbase to silverware-laden success for years to come, and Diaby would be the optimum flanker to issue just that.
