Real Madrid to move for Diarra – reports.
According to various reports across France and Spain (and no, I am not talking about an ‘exclusive’ courtesy of Marca, the paper into which Real’s propaganda experts frequently plant stories), Fabio Capello has opted to make Mahamadou Diarra his next major target in the transfer market.
The news will come as a blow to Lyon, who had hoped to keep together their record-breaking stars in order to mount a formidable assault on the Champions’ League, but will also leave Manchester United fans pondering what could have been. If the stories are to be believed, Real will have to fork out some £20 million pounds in order to secure the services of the Malian.
This means that for just 120-30% of the Michael Carrick transfer fee, United could have finalised a deal for Diarra, who is more experienced (having represented both Lyon and Vitesse Arnhem in Europe), younger, and most certainly better-suited to fill the hole left by the departure of one Roy Keane (see Ahmed’s multitudinous articles on the topic).
Another Madrid-related transfer saga, relating to José Antonio Reyes, could soon be resolved – if the latest media reports hold any credibility. According to the said sources, Reyes will become a madridista within the coming days, with Real set to offer one or two players in part-exchange. Guti, however, will not be one of those offered to Arsenal, for the blonde-haired midfielder recently had an operation on the second metacarpal bone of his right hand and will be out of action for a sustained period of time.
If both of these transfers take place, Real’s starting eleven could look like this:
(1). 4-4-2
Casillas
Salgado/Cicinho Cannavaro Sergio Ramos Roberto Carlos (Or A. Cole)
Beckham/Cicinho Diarra Emerson Reyes
Van Nistelrooy Ronaldo
(Substitutes: López, Woodgate, Helguera, Baptista, Robinho)
(Other notable squad members: Gravesen (soon to depart?), Raúl, Cassano)
(2) 4-3-3
Casillas
Salgado/Cicinho Cannavaro Sergio Ramos Roberto Carlos (Or A. Cole)
Beckham Diarra Emerson/Reyes
Either: Robinho Or: Raul
Van Nistelrooy Ronaldo
All as well as some very exciting players in the youth squad (particularly Mata and Granero).
Surely a team/squad good enough to win the league and/or the Champions’ League?
Any thoughts appreciated.
For several days now, despite continuing talk of Kaká and reference to other players, Reyes and Diarra always seemed to be the two players most likely to join. It’s no secret that Madrid has been looking for another holding midfielder and a left-sided attacker and both fit the bill. In addition to this the stories, in Spain at least, are not only appearing in Marca, but also in AS, the Barcelona sports dailies, and the traditional press (ABC and El Pais) – a good indicator that something is afoot. Madrid will have a good, deep squad, quite well balanced between both attacking and defensive players but also between younger and more experienced ones, and with one of the world’s best managers in Fabio CapelloI think they will be able to challenge Barcelona quite well. The Champions’ League is a step too far right now I think.
Diarra has been holding out for a Real Madrid move since mid-May, when Ferguson went to Lyon to watch him and meet with Lyon’s higherups.
If he’s bought, I’m sure how that helps their left-wing problem, although it does mean that either Baptista can be used as an attacking midfielder alongside Diarra (allowing Madrid to form one of the most physically imposing (and damaging) central midfield pairings ever) or they will play Diarra a little bit upfront with Emerson behind him and some idiot (still to be bought) out on the left.
Really interested in seeing who will start for them on the left flank and left back positions next season – the rest is more or less a done deal (Robinho – Ruud upfront, Becks on the right, etc etc).
Don’t rule out Granero on the left-wing. He is very highly thought of, and impressed in Poland this summer. Also, I am less sure of Real’s team selection than you seem to be. Do they start with the hugely underrated Salgado or the Cafu-esque Cicinho? Will they perpetually drop Ronaldo? Will they FINALLY get rid of Mejia and Pavón – no title-challenging team can have these players in their ranks.
Ronaldo is recovering from a knee-op, and from what I read, he’s out for a while. That allows Capello to test Ruud, Robinho, Raul and Cassano up front. One of the five strikers will have to go this summer – any bets on who that will be?
Salgado instead of Cicinho, Ramos and Cannavaro in the centre, god-knows-who on the left
You can be sure it will be Roberto Carlos on the left.