Diaby equals Saudi Pro League's long-standing assist record

French winger Moussa Diaby has equaled the Saudi Pro League record for the most assists in a single match, in just his third game for Ittihad Jeddah.

Diaby provided four assists in Ittihad’s dominant 7-1 victory over Al-Wehda on Sunday, during the third round of the current season.

The Frenchman set up the second, third, fifth, and sixth goals, contributing to goals scored by Algerian Houssem Aouar, Brazilian Fabinho Tavares, Fawaz Al-Saqour, and Saleh Al-Shehri, respectively.

This performance ended Youssef Kaddioui’s 13-year hold on the record for most assists in a single match.

The Moroccan winger, who played for Al-Wehda from 2009 to 2011, set the record with four assists in an 8-1 win over Al Hazm on February 24, 2011, during the 2010-2011 season.

Ittihad had signed Diaby from Aston Villa in the recent summer transfer window for a staggering (£50m) deal and a salary of almost (£20m) per year running until 2029.

The 25-year-old French winger joined Aston Villa from Bayer Leverkusen during the 2023 summer transfer window for a club-record fee of £52 million, making him the most expensive signing in the club’s history.

Moussa Diaby had an impressive 2023/24 campaign, scoring 10 goals and assisting 9 in 54 appearances across all competitions.

His unexpected transfer to Al Ittihad has certainly drawn attention, and as the season unfolds he’ll be keen to prove he’s worth the high transfer fee attached to his name by replicating such performances for The Tigers.