Dan Ashworth has been officially appointed as Newcastle United's Sporting Director. The 51 year-old will now proceed to shape the club's transfer business this summer, with several players linked with moves to St. James' Park.
Moussa Diaby was one of the first names to emerge. The Bayer Leverkusen forward appears to be an exciting talent and upon inspection of his skill set, he would surely aid the Toon 's prospects in the Premier League next season.
The Frenchman initially developed as an academy graduate at Paris Saint-Germain but as a result of their glamorous transfer policy, his opportunities in his homeland were limited. He posted just 10 starts in Ligue 1 before his club allowed him to leave for as little as £13m in 2019.
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Diaby has since completed three seasons in Germany, bagging a total of 22 goals in the Bundesliga - including zero penalties - while registering a further 28 assists, which offers an insight into his ability to both score and create.
Now 22 years-old, he's just experienced his best campaign in terms of returns, averaging a goal or assist roughly every 110 minutes from a total of 32 starts for Leverkusen.
The youngster is becoming increasingly effective with age, and his skill set allows him to adapt to whatever his team requires from him. He isn't wedded to one specific means of thriving on the pitch.
The French forward has played on both flanks and through the middle this season, with his two-footed nature proving to be one of his biggest perks. Diaby relies on his preferred foot - which is his left - just 72% of the time, which suggests he's one of the more two-footed performers around.
Allan Saint-Maximin, for example, is 88% right-footed. Mohamed Salah uses his left foot 83% of the time. Kevin De Bruyne is 88% right-footed. Harry Kane is 87% right-footed. Diaby's 72% share places him closer to the likes of Sadio Mane, Son Heung-min, Jarrod Bowen and Diogo Jota as a player who is comfortable regardless of what foot he's required to use.
If he was to be fielded alongside Saint-Maximin in Eddie Howe's attack, opponents would have a tricky task in trying to keep both players quiet for 90 minutes, with the pair sharing similar qualities in terms of their directness, speed and tendency to dribble.
Diaby also takes set-pieces for Leverkusen. Ultimately, there isn't much to dislike once appreciating what he's inclined to offer on the pitch. If Ashworth does bring him to Tyneside, his transfer could signal the beginning of a momentous window for the Magpies.
