Diarra on a free?

As cover for the Winter I'd take this lad.

http://hereisthecity.com/en-gb/2014...woop-for-former-chelsea-and-arsenal-star-re/?

Newcastle United have been linked with a move to sign free agent midfielder Lassana Diarra.

Diarra, 29, is available after being released by Lokomotiv Moscow after the transfer window closed.

He has been locked in negotiations with Celtic over the last few days, but The Mirror report Newcastle are looking at hijacking the deal with the player in the UK.

Diarra has Premier League experience with Chelsea, Arsenal and Portsmouth, who sold him to Real Madrid for almost £19 million.

He actually played against Newcastle not so long ago too, pictured above tackling Jonas Gutierrez in the Europa League when playing for Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala.

While he may be short of match fitness, Diarra would be a clever signing on a free transfer, and it is unlikely he will remain available for much longer.

The same report continues to link Cheik Tiote away, with Napoli interest cited, and Diarra would prove insurance.

Th sticking point will of course be the wages, with Diarra previously earning well in Russia, but at present without a club he does not hold a strong hand. Newcastle won't overpay, and there is a chance they may just be being used as a pawn in the Celtic negotiations, but this could be one to watch over the coming days.

 

I know we don't 'overpay' wages, but surely we can financially out muscle Celtic FFS.

 

He is crap now - no thank you!

 

If we sign Diarra, he will be Tiote's replacement

Abeid looking good as a DM has delighted us, but I can think of one fat bastard Spurs supporting owner who is absolutely delirious with it. Another cool £15 mill in his back pocket.

 

No thanks.

Back to the bad old days of paying good wages on a 'has been' that nobody else wants.

 

Is Abied in the ACON?

 

Worth a go for a season long deal surely.

 

I've watched him plenty when he played for Real Madrid. Does his job well, a la Tiote. Has slightly better passing than Tiote, who often sprays a crossfield pass or two to the opponents per game. Would've been the perfect foil for Cabaye had he still been around. I don't like this idea to be linked with him , solely for the fact that we have too many similar players, defensive minded midfielders, when we need the attacking ones.

 

I can't see it because of his age.

If it was up to me, perhaps a short term arrangement to get past the ACON situation. I assume we will lose Tiote and Abeid. Cisse too.

I'm not sure what other options are available. If we look at younger options maybe someone like Caskey at Brighton. I'd have like to have seen George Thorne personally but obviously he moved to Derby and then did his cruciate. Him and Hughes, Berahino, I'd still like Redmond too.

I don't know how Bigi is getting on? At one stage he looked ok but big ask/risk for him to cover us there.

 

How about a chant at the next game: We want Diarra ere!

 

He used to be canny like.

 

You say that but I never saw what was supposedly so superb about him. He never impressed me as a Pompey player. I cant remember any game that we had when he was with us that he played a vital role in, where he was a driving force in achieving a result. As far as I could tell he just did his job efficently and effectively and that was it. To me he was no better than Davis and just sort of a more talented version of Mullins.

 

I'd take him.