Portsmouth News 24/7Writer: pompeyrug 
Date:Thursday January 17 2008
Time: 12:04PM
UK time is: 07:46:08
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Diarra deal confirmed
Lassana Diarra has 'officially' been announced as a Pompey signing after penning and 3 and a half year contract for an undisclosed amount. He has revealed why he has chosen Pompey over other potential suitors.
At Chelsea he grew frustrated at his lack of first team football, the move to Arsenal did not really see him play much more but he has come here because he feels sure he will get the football that he is craving, even if people might see it as a 'shock choice': 'my choice will shock and surprise people. Portsmouth; it is not Arsenal and it is not Chelsea. I gave myself to the large clubs.
'I know the trainer of Portsmouth and I know that he will play me'.
I have said it already several times, but I think he will be a fantastic signing who will add extra quality to an already decent midfield, but this will surely come at a cost for someone - as at least one will have to be offloaded?
Harry Redknapp has spoken about his first major capture of the transfer window on the Pompey Site in glowing terms: 'he's a fantastic midfield player. In my opinion he's already one of the best midfield players in the Premier League and has the ability to be one of the best there is.
'He's strong, powerful, quick and can pass the ball. You don't play for France for the last nine or 10 games unless you're top quality.
'I'm delighted he has decided to sign for us rather than a host of other clubs. It's great news for Portsmouth Football Club'.
His signing should also catch the eye of others, who maybe might not have signed for Pompey before but with the signings we have made over the past few years, with this one added might think twice in the future about saying 'no' to Pompey...
He will train with us in the coming days and should debut against Derby this weekend.
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Your Comments
Great signing and good to see spending with the deal supposed to be worth about £5mil plus high wages. Looks like he could be a top player, albeit we're getting crowded in midfield. Still, Harry keeps banging on about depth. Read Diarra quoted as saying "The people at Portsmouth know I will not spend my life at this club..If I shine, if a really big club wants me, I know already that everything will go well." Fair enough - should get some hungry performances out of him and who knows, we might be that big club by the time his contract is up for renewal!
pompeyjim
Quality player ..When he plays (which has been his problem) We have got some top 22/23 year olds .. Diarra, Kranjcar, Muntari, Johnson....... Nugent... It's looking good for the future fellas.... Now all we need is a right winger and a striker..
Chix
Great signing. Hope he's fit enough for the mud bath scrap with Derby on Saturday.
storagematt
u guys have bought urselves one hell of a player. I only wish he had more patience. at least he went to pompey, always had a soft spot for portsmouth.
ArsenalRob
Yes great news but I am worried about the log jam being created in midfield. Who's next then? Sidwell? Surely not.
eastneydave
Great, great player. Really had the talent to make the grade at Arsenal, but what a rotten attitude. Look out for tears, tantrums and deliberately weeing himself to make sure the boss pays attention to him in training.
Little Dutch
This sounds really exciting. He sounds like a great signing. Interesting comments, Little Dutch, is that true? Just as well 'Arry's so good at handling difficult players then.
tracyc
Great news about Diarra and would love to see Sidwell sign too. Both are classy players but that's enough for midfield. We need goals - who is going to score them?
sportbilly
Matty Taylor has gone to Bolton. 1.25pm.
storagematt
good signing, please dont go bidding for sidwell, and instead sell someone
whitestones
I am not convinced about this signing, i hope i am wrong, i wish it was a striker!!
Owenspompey
People keep saying we are crammed in midfield but crammed with quality we are not, hughes, davis are gritty not classy, Pedroo vice versa, Diarra has a bit of both so i think a good signing, although i also feel think temporary. Now we need a replacement for at least one other midfielder but mostly we need Lita or an other, Defo not Jermain all the london papers say he is off to Villa or Newcy
russellm
davis...not classy...have you been on a differernt planet this season? he has been one of our best players, and his absence has conincided precisly with our loss of form!
pompeycarpet
Only thing that bothers me is Diarra saying that Pompey are just a stepping stone until a bigger club comes along, he seems to have a very similar outlook to a 20 year old Anelka
paultsmouth
Great player Diarra, just didn't work out at the arse but im sure he will fit in nicely at pompey!
will it ever happen
yep that is a concern - we cannot accept that we are 'a stepping stone' yep, to a degree we are but we dont want to be hearing players saying this...
pompeyrug
Yes I agree but lets be honest if a team like Barcelona or Chelsea bang on your door you go, no matter what, diarra has been honest enough to say what others think. I prefere that then people saying that they will be staying for life and then few month later they“ve gone (rings a bell?)
But what is sure is that if Diarra wants a big club to get interested he will have to perform at Portsmouth so thats excellent news, if he plays 3-4 years at a very high level then he might deserve going and if he earns twice more cash we have to accept. Also he is desperate to play at the euro 2008 for that he will need to play 1st team football, and that very well, cause France has amazing players
bongosamy
yea, i agree with you rug, he may think we are a stepping stone but its is stupid of him to actually come out and say it, its not good for his relationship with his club
whitestones
Wow. His current comments are simply astounding. No wonder when the chips are down we look awful, we simply have a team full of players that don't care anymore. Another English lad goes and another stone stepper comes in. We're becoming the new selling club for young black players. Congratulations Pompey.
stillthewhizz
Commitment seems to be a lost word for Portsmouth's new signing Lassana Diarra. On arrival from Arsenal he said: "The people at Portsmouth know I will not spend my life at this club. If I shine, if a really big club wants me, I know that everything will go well." So, then, we need to think up a song for him, perhaps to reflect his honesty. Any ideas guys?
Et_tu_Pompeii
not convinced this was the right move, particually with letting matty go - if we can bring in some REAL talent, that WANTS to play for pompey (sulley muntari is a perfect example) then i will be happy. otherwys, i would rather have not had this transfer window!
pompeycarpet
real talent. i would go as far as sayin that diarra is better then all our midfielders.
Gleams
ArsenalRob, there has always been a mutual respect between Arsenal and Portsmouth. There are not many teams we can say that about. The arrival of Diarra will no doubt have a positive affect on our team, however, it would have been good to see him have more involvment in first team affairs at Arsenal. I hope he really proves Wenger wrong during the remainder of the season, I feel Diarra will have a point to make to his past managers. Now he has his chance, I hope he shines!
PompeyPaddy
And Gleams, I have to disagree with you on your comment. Your comment is fairly vacant. Diarra is a new face and is hungry, but he will have to turn in some good and consistent performances befor you can go as far as saying he is better than the majority of our midfielders. We have a very gifted and talented player in Kranjcar, but they are two different players with different roles, you cannot simply single out either of them as 'the best'. There is no question that Diarra is a player with a bright future, lets hope he can live up to the expectations.
PompeyPaddy
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