Inter Milan’s Bid For Moussa Diaby Turned Down By Al-Ittihad
The 26-year-old is being pursued by the Serie A leaders.
Ben Horlock
Updated on 29 January 2026
Moussa Diaby will remain an Al-Ittihad player for the time being after Inter Milan’s opening bid was rejected.
The Saudi Pro League side turned down Inter’s loan offer which included a €35million buy-option. Al-Amid – who is managed by former AC Milan boss Sergio Conceicao – will only accept a permanent offer.
Negotiations are still ongoing according to journalist Fabrice Hawkins. It’s understood it would take a sizable offer for Conceicao to consider parting ways with the French winger who cost €60m in July 2024.
❗️Les Saoudiens d’Al-Ittihad ont refusé une première offre de l’Inter : un prêt avec option d’achat de 35 millions d’euros pour Moussa Diaby.
Le camp du milieu offensif est d’accord, sur le principe, pour signer à l’Inter, mais il n’y a pour l’instant aucun accord total. Les… pic.twitter.com/bWqjMN1kRs
— Fabrice Hawkins (@FabriceHawkins) January 29, 2026
Moussa Diaby Transfer News – Inter Milan’s Bid Rejected
Inter Milan target Moussa Diaby has reportedly already agreed terms with the Nerazzurri. However, the potential move still needs plenty of attention.
Al-Ittihad doesn’t want to lose the former Aston Villa winger and naturally, wants to recoup much of their original outlay they parted with 18 months ago.
Diaby is keen to quit the Saudi Pro League and return back to Europe. Inter is his preferred destination although Tottenham is also showing interest.
The Serie A giants view Diaby as a long-term successor to injured wing-back Denzel Dumfries. The Dutchman is due back in action in the Spring but he is likely to quit at the end of the season.
Replacing Dumfries with Diaby may be tricky at this stage. Especially as head coach Cristian Chivu won’t want to part with a hefty sum mid-season. Nonetheless, the 2010 treble winner remains confident an agreement can still be reached.
Inter Milan Transfer Targets
Extra funds will be raised if Bournemouth signs Luis Henrique in the coming days. The Brazilian has struggled since making his summer switch from Marseille.
It’s understood the 24-year-old can move on once a suitable replacement is found. If a deal for Moussa Diaby can’t be struck, Inter Milan wants Ivan Perisic.
The Croatian legend represented Inter for seven years and he would be happy to move back to the San Siro. Other options are also being explored as owing to Persic’s age, he would only be a short-term solution.
Earlier this week, the Nerazzurri discovered Marco Palestra’s price tag. The Atalanta whiz has impressed whilst on loan at Cagliari this season and offers plenty of potential.
There’s no denying that Cristian Chivu has plenty of possibilities but ultimately, getting a deal down for Diaby is his priority for the time being.
Ben Horlock
Ben has a long standing devotion to Italian soccer and in particular, Serie A. Ben grew up watching legendary presenter James Richardson deliver the latest news and views with the daily papers and breakfast in hand. Not only does Ben follow Italy's top soccer division, he is an avid follower of all the major European leagues. Ben is an expert on all things Serie A and has produced a number of features and news articles for FootItalia as well as UK-based outlets such as HITC, 90min, GiveMeSport and Betfair. In the US, Ben has been published on ESPN and Sports Illustrated.
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