Over the last few years, Aston Villa’s transfer strategy has brought them so much talent and success.
It’s one of the main reasons why the club is in a position to qualify for the Champions League and win a European trophy.
The likes of Ollie Watkins and Douglas Luiz – contributors of 25 top-flight goals this term – have been some of the best buys the Premier League has seen in recent times, but Unai Emery’s signature has also been absolutely instrumental.
Nonetheless, they aren't the only two players to have seen their value soar rapidly since joining the club, with one man in particular now worth eight times more than forgotten star Emi Buendia.
Emi Buendia’s transfer value in 2024
Buendia has endured an extremely tough past seven months after suffering an ACL tear before the start of the campaign.
Unfortunately, this has ensured he's not played single minute for Villa this season, and it looks unlikely that he will feature at all throughout 2023/24.
However, there seems to now be light at the end of the tunnel, with the Argentine posting a picture on Instagram of him passing a ball, which has brightened the mood of the Villa fan base.
That said, due to his lack of game time, the 27-year-old’s value has inevitably decreased, to the point where he’s estimated to be worth just £8m, according to CIES’ Football Observatory. Considering he cost the club an initial outlay of £33m, it's not ideal.
Fortunately, another big-money acquisition in Moussa Diaby has enjoyed a more lucrative stint in the Midlands to date.
Moussa Diaby’s value since signing for Villa
After scoring nine goals and providing nine assists in 33 Bundesliga games for Bayer Leverkusen, Diaby switched Germany for England in the summer as he completed a club-record £51.9m move to Villa.
However, his first season at Villa Park hasn’t gone exactly to plan, despite picking up 13 goal contributions in 39 appearances.
In truth, Diaby has been fielded in multiple positions this season, playing as an attacking midfielder and a second striker mainly, but he’s only featured five times in his preferred right-wing role, which is mainly due to Leon Bailey's incredible form that's seen him pick up 16 goal contributions in the league this season.
That said, it's this versatility and willingness to adapt to the manager’s requests that may just be one reason why his value has actually increased, with the 24-year-old now estimated to be worth around £68m.
Moussa Diaby
£68m
Douglas Luiz
£68m
Ollie Watkins
£51m
Pau Torres
£51m
Emi Buendia
£8m
As you can see, not only is Diaby worth eight times more than Buendia, but he’s also the joint-highest valued player in the Villa squad alongside Luiz, even worth more than Watkins.
The former PSG star has shown glimpses of his quality even though he’s not lived up to his full potential yet, but it’s quite clear that on his day, Diaby can be “deadly,” as per Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig.
Furthermore, the fact that he’s a left-footed right winger by trade makes him more valuable due to the lack of attainable quality with a similar profile in Europe.
Overall, it’s clear that Aston Villa truly struck gold with the signing of Diaby, as not only did they buy a player for the present, but one that can continue to progress. The France international's value increasing is just the cherry on top.
Market Movers
Football FanCast's Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club's star player or biggest flop worth today?