France Winger Diaby Joins Saudi’s Al-Ittihad 

Soccer Football - Europa Conference League - Semi Final - First Leg - Aston Villa v Olympiacos - Villa Park, Birmingham, Britain - May 2, 2024 Aston Villa's Moussa Diaby celebrates scoring their second goal. (Reuters)
Soccer Football - Europa Conference League - Semi Final - First Leg - Aston Villa v Olympiacos - Villa Park, Birmingham, Britain - May 2, 2024 Aston Villa's Moussa Diaby celebrates scoring their second goal. (Reuters)
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France Winger Diaby Joins Saudi’s Al-Ittihad 

Soccer Football - Europa Conference League - Semi Final - First Leg - Aston Villa v Olympiacos - Villa Park, Birmingham, Britain - May 2, 2024 Aston Villa's Moussa Diaby celebrates scoring their second goal. (Reuters)
Soccer Football - Europa Conference League - Semi Final - First Leg - Aston Villa v Olympiacos - Villa Park, Birmingham, Britain - May 2, 2024 Aston Villa's Moussa Diaby celebrates scoring their second goal. (Reuters)

France winger Moussa Diaby has joined Saudi Arabia's Al-Ittihad, where he will team up with compatriots Karim Benzema and N'Golo Kante under French coach Laurent Blanc, the Saudi club said Wednesday.

The 25-year-old who began his career with Paris Saint-Germain leaves English club Aston Villa after just one season following his transfer from Leverkusen a year ago.

He played 54 matches for Villa last season, scoring 10 goals and making nine assists.

In a statement on Wednesday, Al-Ittihad said Diaby was joining on a five-year contract, adding that he has arrived in the club's training camp in Spain, without mentioning the value of the deal.

"He will be a significant asset to the team," Al-Ittihad CEO Domingos Oliveira said in a statement.

The announcement comes nearly two weeks after former France manager Blanc was announced as the next coach of Al-Ittihad, reuniting with Benzema who was in his Euro 2012 squad.

The Al-Ittihad squad also includes N'Golo Kante, a starter in the France team that reached the last four at the current Euros, and former Monaco and Liverpool Brazilian Fabinho.



Italian Club Parma Hires Cristian Chivu as Coach for Relegation Battle in Serie A 

Parma’s Giovanni Leoni (C) celebrates after scoring the 2-1 goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Cagliari Calcio and Parma Calcio 1913, in Cagliari, Italy, 09 February 2025. (EPA)
Parma’s Giovanni Leoni (C) celebrates after scoring the 2-1 goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Cagliari Calcio and Parma Calcio 1913, in Cagliari, Italy, 09 February 2025. (EPA)
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Italian Club Parma Hires Cristian Chivu as Coach for Relegation Battle in Serie A 

Parma’s Giovanni Leoni (C) celebrates after scoring the 2-1 goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Cagliari Calcio and Parma Calcio 1913, in Cagliari, Italy, 09 February 2025. (EPA)
Parma’s Giovanni Leoni (C) celebrates after scoring the 2-1 goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Cagliari Calcio and Parma Calcio 1913, in Cagliari, Italy, 09 February 2025. (EPA)

Relegation-threatened Parma hired Cristian Chivu as coach on Tuesday with the team 18th in the 20-team Serie A.

Parma announced the appointment in a statement that did not specify contract details, but according to reports Chivu's deal runs until the end of next season.

The former Romania defender, who was working as a youth coach at Inter Milan, will lead the team for the first time when it hosts Bologna on Saturday.

Parma lost four straight games before firing Fabio Pecchia on Monday and has not won a league game in 2025.