La Liga - Diarra unveiled at Real Madrid

Eurosport - Tue, 23 Dec 09:05:00 2008

Real Madrid have unveiled France international midfielder Lassana Diarra as their latest big-money signing.

FOOTBALL 2008-9 Real Madrid Lassana Diarra - 0

Real president Ramon Calderon hailed "an exceptional player" who had a "great future" ahead of him.

"It's an honour for me to be with Real Madrid," said Diarra, wearing a Real shirt emblazoned with the nickname "Lass".

The 23-year-old, who passed a medical on Monday, has signed a contract that will keep him with the club until 2013.

He joins the Spanish giants from Portsmouth for a reported fee of around £18 million.

Real have been on the lookout for a new midfielder since Mali international Mahamadou Diarra and Spain's Ruben de la Red were both sidelined earlier this month for the rest of the season.

Diarra is the club's second signing of the season after Dutch striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar moved from Ajax early this month.

The club has also brought back its midfielder Daniel Parejo, who was on loan to Championship side QPR.

Spanish champions Real have been plagued by injuries as well as poor form this season.

They sacked German coach Bernd Schuster earlier this month and replaced him with former Tottenham coach Juande Ramos but are still a huge 12 points behind league leaders and arch rivals Barcelona going into the winter break.

Meanwhile CSKA Moscow midfielder Milos Krasic is close to signing for the Spanish giants, according to reports in the Spanish daily Marca.

The paper did not indicate its source for the report on the 24-year-old Serbian international, who has been with CSKA since 2004.

TeamTalk / Reuters

Comment 1 - 19 of 59

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  1. big transfer news at real madrid have they signed­ ronaldo at last the best player in the world have man­ utd finally caved in knowing that we are not as big as­ madrid no sorry they have signed diarra the journeyman­ from that big english club called portsmouth ha ha­ think big but act small is madrids new motto what a­ bunch of jokers

    From DAZGGMU-RED-LEGEND-OF-YAHOO, on Mon 22 Dec 2:44PM

  2. hmmmmmmmn! what a waiting game

    From iseoluwani07, on Mon 22 Dec 2:19PM

  3. DIARRA U R SUCH A @#$% ALL THESE TEAMS YOU HAVE PLAYED­ FOR AT 23 ,BY THE TIME YOU RETIRE U WILL HAVE PLAYED­ FOR MORE THAN 50 TEAMS AND JUST FOR THE RECORD YOU ARE­ NOT REAL MADRID MATERIAL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    From Leo, on Mon 22 Dec 2:01PM

  4. Diarra is a money grabbing @#$%. How much do you think­ he and his agents have made from English teams in the­ last 2 years. Well done Portsmouth for getting rid of­ an average player for a big profit.

    From brooksie6870, on Mon 22 Dec 1:37PM

  5. good signings by real. Its exciting times at real

    From jackpatchulia, on Mon 22 Dec 1:11PM

  6. perhaps he will now show the consistency he has lacked­ playing in england their is no doubding his talent just­ work rate can seem a lazy player hope he proves himself­ in spain

    From chris l, on Mon 22 Dec 1:11PM

  7. Well done to Portsmouth ! Of course, as ever, only time­ will tell how good was this signing.

    From Morituri, on Mon 22 Dec 1:08PM

  8. calderon got it wrong this time.Goke from Nigeria

    From Nelson, on Mon 22 Dec 12:47PM

  9. If Robbie Keane is worth £20m, then Diarra is worth­ about £40m. Diarra is a brilliant player, and good luck­ to him in Madrid. This is great business for Pompey -­ lets hope that the profit from this deal can be used on­ a couple of decent defenders.

    From Peter S, on Mon 22 Dec 12:47PM

  10. I am an open-mineded single girl who love sports. I­ want to end my single life by meeting
    a guy who likes­ sports too. Let's mingle at the club ___ kISs M­ ill iona ireS Co m __

    From sexyhere44, on Mon 22 Dec 11:44AM

  11. too much money for an average player...calderon has­ lost it...desperate signing by real madrid

    From deljuve_10, on Mon 22 Dec 10:58AM

  12. caldarons a @#$%,we know real are a big club,but that­ dont give him the right to tap up players,ronaldo the­ red hope we beat inter, then get real in the quarters

    From jon g, on Mon 22 Dec 10:46AM

  13. Real madrid need defenders not midfielders but Diarra­ is good he may score a few goals (not really lots).

    From Club, on Mon 22 Dec 7:36AM

  14. real have gone mad and that bald calderon likes to sign­ bald people so ronaldo is going no where and will­ remain with the world champs!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

    From ankitanuraj1, on Mon 22 Dec 4:23AM

  15. desperate Real. lol

    From Half A Brain, on Sun 21 Dec 8:49PM

  16. Hes a good player, certainly looks like a carbon-copy­ of claude makelele but i don't really think hes­ worth £20m, Portsmouth have done well to get that price­ for him

    From Adam, on Sun 21 Dec 8:33PM

  17. amazin player???

    arsenal or chelsea didn't think­ so, not worth £20m real got more money than sense

    From raymondo_59, on Sun 21 Dec 8:10PM

  18. wat u talkin about he is an amazin player so just sort­ your life out fu2kuk

    From karl, on Sun 21 Dec 7:38PM
  19. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    how much?? maybe Real can see something in him that­ everyone else in the premier league cant, lol

    From Shafster, on Sun 21 Dec 6:55PM
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