Tottenham close to signing Lassana Diarra

by **Crimey** Sat 20 Aug 2011, 9:46 am

Tottenham are close to completing a deal to sign Real Madrid midfielder Lassana Diarra for a reported £10m.

The 26-year-old joined Real from Portsmouth for £20m in 2008 and has scored one goal in 89 appearances. Paris-born Diarra, who has 28 caps for France, started his career with Le Havre before joining Chelsea in 2005 and Arsenal two years later.

Tottenham are also in talks with Manchester City over a loan move for Togolese striker Emmanuel Adebayor. If both players arrive at White Hart Lane, attention is sure to focus on how Spurs boss Harry Redknapp juggles a squad that already includes a number of established midfielders and forwards.

Redknapp's midfield options include Tom Huddlestone, Jermaine Jenas, Sandro, Wilson Palacios, Luka Modric and Niko Kranjcar. In wide and attacking positions he has Gareth Bale, Aaron Lennon, Rafael van der Vaart, Steven Pienaar, Roman Pavlyuchenko, Peter Crouch and Jermain Defoe.

Chelsea have made bids of £22m and £27m for Modric, but Spurs insist the Croatian is staying put.Crouch and Palacios, meanwhile, are subject to offers from Stoke.

source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/14599103.stm

A decent enough signing, but surely not what Spurs need? They're still lacking a real quality forward to finish the obvious creativity in midfield, I assume Diarra must be a replacement for Modric or Palacios.

by Guest Sat 20 Aug 2011, 9:53 am

Diarra will be a replacement, even an upgrade, for Palacios. Ever since that family death he hasn'tbeen the same player, whereas Diarra is a top midfielder who is being brought in at a bargain price.

Lot of rotation this year I think, with Sandro, Huddlestone, Diarra, Modric and VDV fighting for probably 3 CM roles. I'd say Spurs probably lack the same depth out wide with only Bale, Lennon, Pienaar and possibly Kranjcar (Who may be on his way out).

Still think it's the strongest midfield in the league though.

Tottenham close to signing Lassana Diarra

Tottenham close to signing Lassana Diarra

Re: Tottenham close to signing Lassana Diarra