Monday 27 February 2012

Diarra Moves to Fulham


Fulham have announced the signing of former the Real Madrid midfielder Mahamadou Diarra, pending the successful completion of a visa.

The 30-year-old, who once cost a reported £22m, will join on a free transfer for the season, with the option of extending the deal by a further year.

Diarra has been without a club since leaving Monaco last summer. A Mali international for more than a decade, he left the principality following the club's shock relegation from Ligue 1.

He had spent less than half a season there after joining on a free transfer from Real, where he spent four and a half years, winning two Primera Liga titles, one Copa del Rey and one Super Cup.

He cost the Madrid club a reported £22m from Lyon in the summer of 2006, having won four successive Ligue 1 titles.

While at Lyon he formed a formidable midfield partnership with Michael Essien and had been linked with Manchester United before Real pounced.

Diarra began his senior career with the Greek side OFI Crete before moving to the Netherlands to play for Vitesse Arnhem.