Dan Bardell believes Moussa Diaby is worth £80 million following Unai Emery’s revival at Aston Villa.

Dan Bardell believes Moussa Diaby is worth £80 million following Unai Emery’s revival at Aston Villa.

We’re thrilled to welcome Sky Sports journalist Dan Bardell as our exclusive Aston Villa blogger, as he’ll be providing his thoughts on the club’s most pressing issues each week…

According to Dan Bardell, Moussa Diaby might be worth up to £80 million after Unai Emery revived him at Aston Villa this season.

After joining Villa for £50 million from Bayer Leverkusen over the summer, the France international had an immediate impact, scoring in two of his first three Premier League appearances.

Despite the Villans’ continued success on the field and the 24-year-old’s outstanding performance levels, the forward then went six games without scoring.

Bardell stated that he is “surprised” Diaby did not join a club like Newcastle United because they are in the Champions League after he “changed the dynamic” of Emery’s offense this season.

“I don’t think the drought would have been something that was massively worrying him,” Bardell told Villa News exclusively. He wasn’t brought in to be Villa’s main goal scorer.

“Except for the Wolves game, where he was clearly injured because he was holding his back after every sprint, he’s made a massive impact in every game and has really changed the dynamic of how Villa can go forward.”

“He’s a true top-tier player.” I still can’t believe Villa got him. Because he’s so excellent, I assumed he might go to Newcastle because they’re in the Champions League or somewhere like that in the summer. I was shocked that Villa was able to persuade him to come in.

“Emery has completely reinvented him; he’s taken some of the weaknesses in his game, perhaps the pressing and defensive side of things on the wing, and turned him into this second striker.” He’s been nothing short of amazing.

“I can’t think of a player in my lifetime who combines the skill and raw pace that he has; he’s absolutely electric.” He’s been able to drastically alter the way Villa play in transition and attack because he can simply carry the ball. He’s quick, but he’s also skilled.

“He was just drifting around all over the place in the Luton game, causing them all kinds of problems.” I just think he’s better than Chelsea and Manchester United for the money Villa paid for him. £50 million is certainly a lot of money, but when I look at the money Chelsea and Manchester United have spent to bring in players of a similar ilk and position, he’s better.

“He’s probably worth £80 million now if someone tried to get him off Villa, so I was really happy with him as a signing.” He’ll go down as a crucial player for Villa over the next several years, and we’ll look back and say that was a crucial signing for the club.”