Pompey accept Diarra bid

Frenchman given permission to talk to Real

Last updated: 18th December 2008   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Pompey accept Diarra bid

Diarra: Set for Real talks

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Portsmouth have confirmed they have accepted a bid from Real Madrid for Lassana Diarra.

As revealed by skysports.com earlier this week, Real made a move for Diarra as new boss Juande Ramos looks to bolster his squad in the transfer window.

Portsmouth have now accepted an undisclosed fee for the talented Frenchman and Diarra has been given permission to talk to the Spanish giants.

"We have always said that we would only allow our players to leave if we received an exceptional bid," a Portsmouth spokesman told the club's official website.

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

"It shows how far the club has come under the ownership of Alexandre Gaydamak when Real Madrid come in for one of our players.

"Should the deal be completed, the club has already identified possible replacements."

Diarra is now set to travel to the Spanish capital to hold talks and undergo a medical ahead of a move to El Santiago Bernabeu when the transfer window reopens in January.

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Comments (23)

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Taffarrell Brooke says...

WOW! Great deal! Be happy..stop complaining. Now go and buy three more average players and sell them for 20 million each!

Posted 21:49 17th December 2008

Kwesi Baah (Portsmouth fan) says...

First it was Sulley muntari, now it's Diarra. Clearly Pompey lacks serious ambition. Imagine where the club would be with Muntari and Diarra running the midfield. The modern game is won in the midfield. See what replacing Muntari with bean pole Crouch has done to the club. I don't even see them finishing in the top half with this second mistake.

Posted 20:15 17th December 2008

Josh Savage (Portsmouth fan) says...

Portsmouth should be laughing all the way to the bank! Yes we did have a good player in Lassana Diarra who held the midfield well and fired a few cannons off every now and then, but seriously for £20m+!!!! That is a deal made in heaven, he is a good player but I wouldn'tt rate him higher than £20m when Fernando Torres was close to that price, as long as Tony buys a decent replacement or two to bolster our midfield or even other positions, we've got ourselves a great deal here! Especially how hes gone abroad as well so we dont need to face him at Man C or Tottenham etc... With £20m at our disposal, give or take maybe £10m depending on Sasha's funding, we could get a player of similar standard and pay off some debt. As long as we keep Niko, Defoe and James, I'm happy!

Posted 18:56 17th December 2008

Damian Tate (Chelsea fan) says...

Great news for Lassana! All of these people that are talking about him being average or that it is an extraordinary fee for an ordinary player have never seen him play. Let's not forget that Chelsea bought him as a long-term replacement for Makelele, which in itself is a huge compliment. If not for Claude's consistently high form Lassana would have still been at the bridge. And Makelele won the lot with Real Madrid to boot! This speaks volumes for the finally realised talent of Diarra and my best wishes go with him. In ten years time we'll be talking him being one of the great European players and the holding midfielder role may be renamed from 'The Makelele Position'. Lassana is as good as Makelele was, with the added bonus of speed, strength and forward play. Given the correct management and opportunities he can truly be world class. The only uncertaintys are can Ramos get the best out of him? Would Diarra be better suited to a league where his physical attributes suit the game, i.e. the Premier League? And surely if he were to stay at Pompey he would be a superb nucleus around which to build a team of willing runners and flair players, knowing that they have a workhorse and potential captain ready-made for them? Good luck to him and Pompey?

Posted 18:54 17th December 2008

Darren Rice (Manchester United fan) says...

I think that if Diarra is going for around 20m then any club would sell him. I personaly don't think he is that good of a player to be valued at 20m. Perhaps around 10m - 15m at the most. If he goes to Real then he will become a forgotten player because off the talent in the Real team. Portsmouth would probarly get a decent holding midfielder for half the price if they wanted to.

Posted 18:10 17th December 2008

Matt George (Portsmouth fan) says...

I have to agree with Paul Kennedy about ambition. Diarra has always said he came here to get regular first team football, and to use us as a springboard to bigger and better things. I think all Portsmouth fans respect him for that, and now our "shop window" has been raided I would like to wish him the best of luck in Spain. Lack of ambition from Portsmouth...lol...hmmm Beckham moves to Real Madrid from Man Utd for record fee...lack of ambition from Man Utd, I think not :-) Good Luck Lassana!

Posted 18:00 17th December 2008

Rich C (Sheffield United fan) says...

I have heard a strong rumour that Patrick Vieira is on his way to pompey as a replacement for diarra. Great business if you ask me

Posted 17:42 17th December 2008

Paul Kennedy (Portsmouth fan) says...

If all you doom and gloom merchants bothered to read the club's statement, the fee is around 21.5M which is a great deal for the club considering we only paid 5M. This deal has nothing to do with lack of ambition or the club being up for sale. Clubs like Pompey will always sell world class players when top clubs splash the cash. Did Spurs lack ambition when they sold Carrick for 18M?

Posted 12:14 17th December 2008

Jason White (Portsmouth fan) says...

I am afraid i have to agree with the Man Utd fan. The first sign of many bad things to come at our club? Diarra is a player of exceptional quality who came at a very very low price, an extremely rare thing in football. Without him our midfield is worryingly thin. If we do actually replace him, which is not garaunteed with Pompey, it will be with an inferior player because pompey arent going to spend much of his fee. And if we don't replace him? Well we can just spend the rest of the season with Richard Hughes and Sean Davis in centre midfield :-S Don't expect to be sat in the top half for much longer.

Posted 12:11 17th December 2008

Mike Byrne (Portsmouth fan) says...

People seem to forget that Lassana Diarra hasn't exactly played week in week out for Pompey and I really believe he is going to struggle at Real. He has been suffering from injuries on a regular basis since he has joined us. I hope everything goes well for him but won't be surprised to see him in a City shirt next season. Play up Pompey!

Posted 12:11 17th December 2008

Francesco Lim (Manchester United fan) says...

I've read that Portsmouth rejected a mega bid of close to 20 million pounds for Diarra during the summer, so this definitely comes as a surprise. I guess it boils down to the fact that Portsmouth cannot deny Diarra such a career opportunity. If it had been Man City, Tottenham or a club like Betis or Napoli coming in with a similar bid, i would doubt they would sell him. Also, the current financial troubles might be another factor. However, i would still be very surprised if the transfer is close to the 10 million euros as reported, because i believe Diarra is definitely worth more than that to Portsmouth. At that price, Real Madrid would get a real bargain.

Posted 12:05 17th December 2008

James Smith (Portsmouth fan) says...

Real madrid have offered 24 million for him. Portsmouth have come far, we have won the fa cup, and are we have been in europe. With 24 million that could pay some of the debts and buy a couple of good players

Posted 12:05 17th December 2008

Mark Tierney (Arsenal fan) says...

What a deal for Pompey. £20 million for an average player is good business. Diarra wasn't good enough for Chelsea or Arsenal. I don't see the fuss at all, if Portsmouths owner gives Adams most of the £20 million to spend on other players then Pompey can bring at least 2 players that are better than Diarra anyway. Real are paying way over the odds for an average player again and no wonder Real are so average currently if that is the type of player they are paying £20 million for. You will be much better Pompey fans, trust me!

Posted 11:58 17th December 2008

David Anderson (Manchester United fan) says...

Portsmouth's failure to keep their top player just shows that they will never be a top 4/5 club because they just don't have the ambition. There arn't many players of Diarra's quality that are affordable to Pompy to replace him... and how much is a "substancial" offer to Portsmouth's board? bet it's no bigger then £10 million, I'm sure they could milk City for more.

Posted 10:49 17th December 2008

Karl Green (Manchester United fan) says...

Oh dear, that is not good news for a pompy fan, he is a good player and that will make then struggle even more now, unless they can get some decent players in with the money they get for him, its quite strange really that pompy have so many decent players but still struggle, me been a united fan would like to see pompy buy some decent players to cover the loss of diarra!

Posted 10:45 17th December 2008

Oly Ridge (Portsmouth fan) says...

what a player ! wish him all the best...will watch real with great interest from now on ! hope we do spend at least a bit of it on sorting out the midfield

Posted 10:45 17th December 2008

A White (Arsenal fan) says...

This move will hopefully be a step in the right direction. I don't think Real can win the title in Spain anymore but this move will make them a lot stronger in the new year. Perhaps even show people that Tottenham were bad under Ramos in spite of his efforts not because of them.

Posted 10:43 17th December 2008

Mike Timson says...

The best player I have seen at Fratton Park.(been a fan since 1973). We are a different team without him in the side. We dont hold the ball as well, we dont link up play or break up attacks like we do with Diarra in the team. Always said he should be with one of the giant clubs. He is worth a hell of a lot of money. Hope Pompey got there moneys worth for such a talented young super star.Gutted to lose you mate. Good luck in Spain. Play up Pompey.

Posted 10:39 17th December 2008

Brian Teles (Arsenal fan) says...

This guy seems to move clubs every 6 months! The grass is always greener. I hope he'll be happy warming the Real Madrid bench for the rest of the season - then he'll leave for another Spanish team in the summer!

Posted 10:36 17th December 2008

Jawad Majeed (Manchester United fan) says...

I think this is a great achievement on the part of portsmouth football club to have a player on Real Madrid's wanted list. Usually the big clubs in Europe dont call upon clubs like Portsmouth for thier players hence for the manager, chairman and the supporters of Portsmouth its a massive acievement that Real Madrid have come knocking on their door. It also shows the talent in the English premier league that clubs from all over Europe are now purchsing their players from England.

Posted 10:35 17th December 2008
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