Valencia is exploring options to reinforce its midfield with a physical, defensive player in the upcoming winter transfer window, and one of the alternatives being considered is Aliou Dieng, a 28-year-old Malian midfielder at Al Ahly. The player's continuity at the Egyptian club is uncertain, which has attracted the interest of several teams, including Pyramids FC, AEK Athens, and Al Rayyan. Dieng has a contract with Al Ahly until June 2027, but he did not accept a recent renewal proposal. In recent months, Al Ahly's position has been to not listen to offers for the player, as demonstrated when they rejected a bid from Al Hazm of the Saudi Pro League. The midfielder, who has 46 caps and 2 goals for Mali, has made 11 appearances in the Egyptian Premier League this season. His current market value is €3.00m, according to Transfermarkt. In November 2025, a Saudi club reportedly offered $650,000 (~€600,000), which Al Ahly considered insufficient, making a counter-demand of around $1.65 million (~€1.5 million).