Frenchman Ibrahima Diallo joined Southampton in 2020 from Brest but has now departed accepting an offer from Qatar.
The 24-year-old midfielder leaves St Mary’s after three seasons at the club in which he made 81 appearances.
After joining in 2020 and signing a four year contract, Diallo made 22 Premier League appearances by the end of the 2020-21 season under Ralph Hasenhuttl.
He made 23 league appearances in his second season on the south coast however last season this dropped down to just 11 games.
This signalled the end of his time at the club, which has resulted in his departure. As he follows a seemingly increasingly prevalent trend and moved east, joining Al-Duhail SC in the Qatar league.
Diallo sends a message
He has joined the Qatari champions for an undisclosed fee, which likely sees him receive a huge pay-raise.
The midfielder has took to Instagram to wish Southampton a heartfelt goodbye. He wrote:
“After three rewarding years, my journey in Southampton ends here. It was an extraordinary experience. I met a lot of nice people and lived unforgettable moments.
“First of all, I thank Allah for allowing me to experience this. Then, I thank my teammates, technical staff, medical staff and all club employees. Without forgetting the supporters who have always supported us in good and bad times.
This leaves yet another position for the Saints to fill with their two other star midfielders being tipped for a departure in near future. With Romeo Lavia to Liverpool and James Ward-Prowse to West Ham both hot transfers.
We appreciate the message from Diallo and hope for some activity on the incomings front soon.