Premier League - Portsmouth accept Real Diarra bid

Eurosport - Wed, 17 Dec 18:20:00 2008

Portsmouth have accepted what they described as an "exceptional bid" from Real Madrid for midfielder Lassana Diarra.

FOOTBALL Lassana Diarra Portsmouth - 0

The Spanish giants reportedly had an initial £9 million offer rejected, while The Sun claims they have increased their bid to a massive £24m in a desperate effort to make Diarra coach Juande Ramos's first signing in January.

Real are short of midfield cover following a season-ending injury to Malian Mahamadou Diarra.

Portsmouth are experiencing financial difficulties brought on by the global financial crisis and said they reluctantly agreed to sell Diarra because of the size of the offer.

"We have always said that we would only allow our players to leave if we received an exceptional bid," said a club statement.

"We could not stand in the way of a move such as this for Lassana."

Portsmouth said they had "already identified" players who could replace the French international.

The ambitious Diarra will make Real his fourth club since August 2007 when he moved from Chelsea to Arsenal.

He subsequently signed for Pompey after just half a season with the Gunners, having failed to establish himself as a first-team player.

On arriving at Fratton Park, he spoke openly about his desire to attract "a really big club" and said: "The people at Portsmouth know I will not spend my life at the club."

Diarra performed superbly during the second half of last season when he helped Pompey lift the FA Cup, during which time his qualities as a specialist defensive midfielder impressed Ramos, who was then manager of Tottenham.

Earlier this season, Ramos said: "[Lassana] Diarra is someone I know perfectly well from my time in England. He is a France international and a player who is very similar to the Diarra [Mahamadou] that we have here.

"A player with very important physical characteristics as well as being a good footballer."

Alex Chick / Eurosport

Comment 71 - 90 of 90

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  1. OMG.Diarra and Huntelaar will play for Real­ Madrid.Ramos must be blind.Real will win nothing this­ year.Real use to bye the greatest players.Not any more.

    From popovski01, on Thu 1 Jan 1:19PM

  2. this is yesterdays news, keep up we dont live in the­ dark ages.

    From bazspur4, on Thu 18 Dec 7:16PM

  3. all the posts coating Diarra just shows how they­ obviously are better football judges than Real Madrid­ arguably one of the most talented clubs in the­ world.But hey you boys watch M O T D on Sunday morning­ so you must know better.

    From robert.lambson, on Thu 18 Dec 5:28PM

  4. seconded george

    From tyson82003, on Thu 18 Dec 10:12AM

  5. Cant help but laugh bout all this nonsense bout diarra­ worth £24 mill etc,there is more chance of liverpool­ winning the premiership than that so called "Class­ act" diarra bein worth 24 million-he is a tidy but­ reckless player at times who even said that portsmouth­ were a "stepping stone" to a bigger club-a­ poor man's carsley?? Wouldn go dat low on the­ lad,good player,but js about as good as scott parker!!!­ Best of luck to him tho,moving to a club with big­ rep-in dire situation-pressure on to back up his own­ statements on how good he is n now!!! Oh,and by no­ means can you say he is better than Carrick-js look at­ how carrick made a mess of him this year!!! l-pool­ scum:)

    From george.bustin, on Thu 18 Dec 9:17AM

  6. Oh yeah Phil...Carrick is well known for his­ passing..clearly you don't see the prem...and you­ have never seen him play, true he's not defensive­ but his link ups with the offence are tremendously­ effective...I would buy a TV if I were you and start­ watchin some football...

    From tyson82003, on Thu 18 Dec 7:03AM

  7. Martin k, I do recognise Diarra as a very good­ defensive midfielder, particularly his determination­ and stamina...but Carrick is better ...and that's­ it...even Real's Diarra is way better..Not because­ they are Man u and Real players, I can name you loads­ of players in Defensive Midfield who are better thatn­ him, he does worth 15 mill but never 24...mill...with­ 24 mill..one can buy..star players like M Essien.. and­ Macherano and Flamini and Gattuso and Muntari and Viera­ and Yaya Toure and Senna...so I think I've proved­ my point..

    From tyson82003, on Thu 18 Dec 6:50AM

  8. had diarra stayed at arsenal he would be in first­ team.good luck you deserve your big break

    From Lu, on Wed 17 Dec 7:30PM

  9. Who's Carrick ?????????????????

    From ianforr, on Wed 17 Dec 7:29PM

  10. Carrick an expert long ball passer? Thanks for the­ laugh, mate. He's consistent I'll admit, but­ more he's more like a Roy Keane - just minus­ Keano's defending, passion, and leadership. For­ some reason players like Carrick and Essein get highly­ overrated when they do little more than carry the water­ for the talent out on the fied. It has always baffled­ me.

    From Phil, on Wed 17 Dec 7:28PM

  11. Who's Carrick ?????????????????

    From ianforr, on Wed 17 Dec 7:27PM

  12. Tyson82003: I presume thats your unbiased opinion.

    From markear1, on Wed 17 Dec 7:21PM

  13. Slipper1: poor mans lee carsley = Rory Delap

    From markear1, on Wed 17 Dec 7:20PM

  14. Have any of you lot that are against lassana diarra­ actually seen him play!
    He is a class act! Wish the­ best for real madrid if he goes

    From cricketlegand99, on Wed 17 Dec 7:20PM

  15. Have any of you lot that are against lassana diarra­ actually seen him play!
    He is a class act! Wish the­ best for real madrid if he goes

    From cricketlegand99, on Wed 17 Dec 7:20PM

  16. Ace , I wonder if you've ever watched the­ BarclaysPL...Waada u mean Carrick not being­ consistent... Diarra isn't fit to lick his­ shoes...there hasn't been an expert long ball­ passer like Carrick for a very long time in the­ BarclaysPL...and certainly Diarra isn't worth 24­ even if he gives it his all with Pompey...clearly Ramos­ is desperate..for some C Midfield..players...he should­ have tried for Essien with 24 mill...or..Aquilani, even­ Sissoko is worth something close...
    From a Man U­ fan
    GLORY GLORY MAN UNITED
    G.G.M.U

    From tyson82003, on Wed 17 Dec 7:17PM
  17. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    but isn't lassana diarra quite @#$%?

    From First L, on Wed 17 Dec 6:51PM

  18. gareth barry has scored a number of goals from outside­ the box with his supposeldy right standing leg. he does­ use his left foot an awful lot but thats how left­ footers are but to say diarra is better than him is­ @#$%. barry is now pretty much untouchable for england­ and is only still playing for us coz we refuse to sell­ coz we really dont need the money for him and he­ couldnt be replaced! and all the stuff that went on in­ the summer, barry has shown his true colours by still­ being amazing for us and his colour is still claret and­ blue. true proffesional!
    up the villa!

    From jon, on Wed 17 Dec 6:39PM

  19. Alot of money for a man who is essentially a poor mans­ Lee Carsley

    From Slipper1, on Wed 17 Dec 6:23PM

  20. LIKE MY BELOVED ANELKA, LASSANA WILL PLAY IN 10 LEAGUE,­ 24 CLUBS BEFORE HE REACHES TEH AGE OF DEL PIERO, THIS­ IS A PURE FRENCH SYNROME, ONLY THAT, HE LASSANA, IS­ PURELY SENEGALESE.

    From ted, on Wed 17 Dec 6:16PM
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