Aston Villa midfielder John McGinn has discussed the impact that Moussa Diaby has already had at the club.
Less than one month ago, Aston Villa paid a club-record £51.9 million to prise Moussa Diaby away from Bayer Leverkusen. John McGinn believes that the club’s hefty summer investment is already beginning to pay off.
Whilst Aston Villa’s Premier League campaign got off to a poor start, as they suffered an opening day 5-1 thrashing at the hands of Newcastle United, Diaby was certainly able to endear himself to the travelling Villa fans on his debut. The attacker marked his first competitive appearance for the Midlands outfit with a goal at St James’ Park.
Unai Emery’s side will need to get over their Tyneside humiliation quickly, as they have a big season ahead, and Diaby will be expected to contribute significantly over the course of the campaign.
Emery sparked a huge improvement in the club’s fortunes when he took over at Villa Park halfway through last season. The Spanish coach is now aiming to take Aston Villa to the next level, and the acquisition of Diaby is testament to that ambition.
Diaby set to have a rapid impact at Aston Villa
McGinn is convinced that Diaby is the calibre of player that can help Aston Villa take the next step. Speaking to the club’s official website, the Scot said of the 24-year-old, “he’s always a threat on the break. He’s really humble, hard-working and he’s improved us already.”
What Diaby can offer Aston Villa on the counter-attack could certainly prove crucial this season. The Frenchman’s blistering pace is one of his best weapons, and is an aspect of his game that Emery will be plotting to exploit and use to its most devastating effect.
If the 10-cap France international can live up to expectations then he’ll soon make himself a hero at Villa Park.
