Reports have emerged that Manchester United have contacted the agent of Lassana Diarra with a contract offer. The Frenchman has terminated his contract with UAE Pro League side, Al Jazira in the hopes of signing for an elite English side.
Multiple clubs in Europe like Galatasaray, St Étienne and Paris-Saint Germain have been alerted over the recent turn of event and are also gunning for his signature.
The 32-year-old has played for many elite sides in his career including Real Madrid, Arsenal and Chelsea. Diarra started his career for Le Havre a former French top-flight football team before being named in the Chelsea first team squad of 2005/06 season.
He did not quite fit into the teams of Arsenal and Chelsea and only flourished in the English game while playing for Portsmouth. His outstanding defensive abilities from the middle of the pitch along with the vision to make plays for the Pompey earned him a move to La Liga giants, Real Madrid for £19m in January 2009.
His career lept to monumental heights while playing for the Galacticos and appeared 116 games for the side. He was gifted the number ten jersey and was utilised heavily by then-manager Jose Mourinho. However, he could not keep up with the talents of Mesut Ozil, Sami Khedira and Kaka and fell way below the pecking order.
Diarra’s career has been through multitudinous highs and lows and we might just be witnessing another high at a very late stage of his professional life.
Playing for Mourinho at both Chelsea and Real Madrid, the Paris-born midfielder is well aware of the style of play the United boss implements. Judging by the interest shown in him, the Portugues tactician still holds Diarra to high praise and might just integrate him directly into the team for the remainder of the season.
Mourinho is currently scouting for additions in the left back and the wing positions and has already been linked to numerous players including Toni Kroos. Summer signing, Nemanja Matic and Ander Herrera are his first choices to appear in the holding midfield role alongside Paul Pogba.
However, the Matic has struggled to display his own standard levels that he once portrayed at Chelsea. Still a decent player and a regular starter Mourinho might just be interested in Diarra to add more depth to the squad.
After all Marouane Fellaini is yet to extend his contract with the Old Trafford side and is most likely out of the club by the end of the season.
