Moussa Diaby has spoken out on his future at Bayer Leverkusen amid interest from Arsenal and Newcastle this summer.
Arsenal have shown an interest in signing Diaby this summer, as Mikel Arteta looks to improve his squad after missing out on the Champions League places last season, according to BILD (via TEAMtalk).
Diaby has also attracted the interest of Newcastle, according to Fabrizio Romano, speaking exclusively to CaughtOffside in his Substack column.
Now, the French international has spoken out on his future, in a recent interview with German outlet RP Online, as relayed by The Shields Gazette.
“I’ve made my decision and will play for Bayer Leverkusen again next season,” said Diaby.
The prospect of joining Newcastle may not have been attractive enough for Diaby, despite their financial backing. The North East club are not yet competing in Europe, and finished around mid-table in the Premier League last season.
Diaby’s current club Leverkusen will be competing in the Champions League next season, which could have swayed his decision, with Arsenal failing to qualify.
Also, the competition for places at Arsenal is getting stronger, and Diaby has to make sure he is playing regularly ahead of the World Cup.