Mahamadou Diarra: £6.5M Real Madrid Hardman Alerts Arsenal & Manchester Utd
Reports in the Spanish and English press have linked Real Madrid’s Defensive anchorman Mahamadou Diarra with a move away from the Bernabeu with both Arsenal and Manchester United ready to make their move. However, before the Real Madrid powerhouse leaves the club, he is set to have showdown talks with new coach Jose Mourinho. The player’s agent Frederic Guerra revealed to the Sunday Mirror, “Diarra will sit down and listen to whether the new manager has any plans for him before making a decision.
“We have interest from England and France, so if he is not going to get games at Real he will leave.”
The 6 ft man mountain missed has had an injury-hit two seasons but despite returning to fitness during the last campaign, Diarra struggled to break back into the first team. He has made just 11 league starts in the past two seasons with 13 substitute appearances including eleven in 2009/10. The Mali international is set to be sold for a knockdown fee of £6.5m as the club look to recoup some funds following the huge spending spree Real Madrid have embarked on. Real have Fernando Gago and Lassana Diarra to play the defensive midfield role which means they are willing to offload the Malian with Manchester United and Arsenal both showing an interest in taking the hugely experienced midfield enforcer to England as both clubs look to strengthen the centre of their midfield.
Both Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger are looking to add power and experience to their respective midfields and the signing of Diarra would be ideal now he has proven his fitness. The need for more strength and leadership was evident for both the Red Devils and the Gunners last season especially when Darren Fletcher and Alex Song were missing for both clubs.
Diarra established his football reputation in Greece when he played for OFI Crete in the last 1990’s. However, after just 21 league appearances he moved to Holland and played for Vitesse. He spent three seasons with the Dutch club making 69 league appearances while scoring 9 goals. In this time he was sent off a total of 5 times earning a reputation for poor temperament. The current Arsenal team is perhaps lacking an leader in terms of physical strength which Diarra could be. He is not a dirty footballer but he is full blooded and would not shirk out of tackles which the same cannot be said of a number of the Gunners more lightweight midfielders.
In the summer of 2002 Diarra moved to Lyon where he established his reputation as one of the finest defensive midfielders in world football. In four seasons in France, he won a total of four league championships and four Trophee Des Champions (the equivalent of the Community Shield). He made 121 league appearances and was part of the Lyon team that reached the Champions League quarter-finals in 2004, 2005 and 2006.
The Mali international moved to Real Madrid in August 2006 for 26 million euros. He played a key role in the club’s title successes in 2007 and 2008 but was heavily criticised in his first season for picking up 12 bookings in 33 league appearances. That sort of aggression is something the current Arsenal and perhaps Manchester United teams lack. Each have a number of small technical midfielders but in terms of standing up to more physical sides, the Gunners in particular have been found wanting. Diarra would give both teams a strong defensive platform to allow the more creative stars to shine knowing that the African star is protecting the back four.
Diarra was a mainstay of Fabio Capello’s side but had a disastrous 2008/09 season following a serious knee injury in Mali’s World Cup qualifier v Chad. Diarra returned to Madrid making a further 5 appearances before being forced to have an operation to rectify the condition of his knee. However, the defensive anchorman has now fully returned to fitness so should not be too much of a gamble for Manchester United or Arsenal.
Diarra has won over 50 caps for Mali and his leadership qualities plus his obvious size and physical strength make him the ideal signing for either the Gunners or the Red Devils. The player recently turned 29 but after returning to full fitness, he may well be on his way to either Old Trafford or the Emirates this summer.
Would you like to make a move for Diarra who is reported valued at £6.5m and is physically more suited to English football than the more technical style of Spain?
Reports in the Spanish and English press have linked Real Madrid’s Defensive anchorman Mahamadou Diarra with a move away from the Bernabeu with both Arsenal and Manchester United ready to make their move. However, before the Real Madrid powerhouse leaves the club, he is set to have showdown talks with new coach Jose Mourinho. The player’s agent Frederic Guerra revealed to the Sunday Mirror, “Diarra will sit down and listen to whether the new manager has any plans for him before making a decision.
“We have interest from England and France, so if he is not going to get games at Real he will leave.”
The 6 ft man mountain missed has had an injury-hit two seasons but despite returning to fitness during the last campaign, Diarra struggled to break back into the first team. He has made just 11 league starts in the past two seasons with 13 substitute appearances including eleven in 2009/10. The Mali international is set to be sold for a knockdown fee of £6.5m as the club look to recoup some funds following the huge spending spree Real Madrid have embarked on. Real have Fernando Gago and Lassana Diarra to play the defensive midfield role which means they are willing to offload the Malian with Manchester United and Arsenal both showing an interest in taking the hugely experienced midfield enforcer to England as both clubs look to strengthen the centre of their midfield.
Both Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger are looking to add power and experience to their respective midfields and the signing of Diarra would be ideal now he has proven his fitness. The need for more strength and leadership was evident for both the Red Devils and the Gunners last season especially when Darren Fletcher and Alex Song were missing for both clubs.
Diarra established his football reputation in Greece when he played for OFI Crete in the last 1990’s. However, after just 21 league appearances he moved to Holland and played for Vitesse. He spent three seasons with the Dutch club making 69 league appearances while scoring 9 goals. In this time he was sent off a total of 5 times earning a reputation for poor temperament. The current Arsenal team is perhaps lacking an leader in terms of physical strength which Diarra could be. He is not a dirty footballer but he is full blooded and would not shirk out of tackles which the same cannot be said of a number of the Gunners more lightweight midfielders.
In the summer of 2002 Diarra moved to Lyon where he established his reputation as one of the finest defensive midfielders in world football. In four seasons in France, he won a total of four league championships and four Trophee Des Champions (the equivalent of the Community Shield). He made 121 league appearances and was part of the Lyon team that reached the Champions League quarter-finals in 2004, 2005 and 2006.
The Mali international moved to Real Madrid in August 2006 for 26 million euros. He played a key role in the club’s title successes in 2007 and 2008 but was heavily criticised in his first season for picking up 12 bookings in 33 league appearances. That sort of aggression is something the current Arsenal and perhaps Manchester United teams lack. Each have a number of small technical midfielders but in terms of standing up to more physical sides, the Gunners in particular have been found wanting. Diarra would give both teams a strong defensive platform to allow the more creative stars to shine knowing that the African star is protecting the back four.
Diarra was a mainstay of Fabio Capello’s side but had a disastrous 2008/09 season following a serious knee injury in Mali’s World Cup qualifier v Chad. Diarra returned to Madrid making a further 5 appearances before being forced to have an operation to rectify the condition of his knee. However, the defensive anchorman has now fully returned to fitness so should not be too much of a gamble for Manchester United or Arsenal.
Diarra has won over 50 caps for Mali and his leadership qualities plus his obvious size and physical strength make him the ideal signing for either the Gunners or the Red Devils. The player recently turned 29 but after returning to full fitness, he may well be on his way to either Old Trafford or the Emirates this summer.
Would you like to make a move for Diarra who is reported valued at £6.5m and is physically more suited to English football than the more technical style of Spain?
