FC Metz is on the verge of re-signing its former striker Habib Diallo to strengthen its attacking line during this summer transfer window. Aged 30, Diallo, a Senegalese international with 36 caps and 7 goals, is currently playing in Saudi Arabia under contract with Al-Shabab. Eager to return to Ligue 1, he wishes to terminate his Saudi contract to come back to Moselle, where he began his professional career before moving to Strasbourg in 2020.
Since his transfer to Saudi Arabia, Diallo has faced sporting difficulties, scoring 6 goals in 33 matches for Al-Shabab before a loan to Damac FC, where he scored 7 goals in 28 games. Due to these challenges and a desire to return to France, the striker is negotiating a contract termination. FC Metz is closely following the case and hopes to finalize this return, valuing his previous impressive performances with 48 goals in 116 matches wearing the Metz jersey between 2013 and 2020.
The main obstacle remains financial, as salaries in Saudi Arabia are significant, estimated around 500,000 euros per month, complicating Metz’s chances to complete a direct transfer. However, the player’s will and personal ties to the Moselle region—he still owns a house there and his partner is from the area—could facilitate a compromise for a return that would delight fans.
Other French clubs such as Strasbourg, Brest, Lens, Lorient, and Lille have shown interest in Diallo in recent months, but those projects seem less advanced. Thus, Habib Diallo’s likely arrival at Metz could be the big surprise of this transfer window’s end, providing the team with an experienced offensive reinforcements familiar with the club. A heartfelt story appears underway between the player and FC Metz, ready to write a new chapter.