Diarra on way back to big time

Although Diarra is not seeking a move, he remains ambitious to play for another top club. Portsmouth assistant manager Tony Adams admitted it would be difficult to hold on to the midfielder after another eye-catching performance.

Diarra was promised first-team football when he left Chelsea and moved to Arsenal for £1.5million last summer, but he made just 13 appearances under Arsene Wenger.

Mathieu Flamini was preferred alongside Cesc Fabregas in the centre of midfield and Diarra started more games for France than for Arsenal in the first half of the season. Mostly, he was part of the second string fielded by Wenger in the Carling Cup, in which his performances were first class.

Despite that impact, Wenger wanted to hold him back for another season and that did not fit in with the career plans of Diarra, who was named yesterday in France's squad for Euro 2008.

The 23-year-old has emerged as one of Europe's most promising holding players — Chelsea once identified him as a potential successor to Claude Makelele — since his £4m move to Portsmouth and he is unlikely to be kept waiting long before he is back at the very top.

Adams said: "If he keeps playing like that, we might lose him. Portsmouth need to come up to his standards."

In Harry Redknapp, Diarra has finally found a manager who trusts him and he has responded with some stirring performances.

Diarra said: "He tries to understand every player and tries to make everyone comfortable. I am very happy for him because he is a fantastic manager.

"I signed for Portsmouth because it is a great squad. For many of the players, this was their first trophy and it has been amazing for the manager.

"Everyone knows over the last two weeks what has been happening with the manager's family and it was important for us to win it for him because he is a great man.

"I am playing well because of the manager. When you are a player you want to play and show what you can do on the pitch."

Diarra has certainly been doing that at Portsmouth and his teammates recognise his enormous contribution on the pitch.

Diarra was an unused substitute for Chelsea during their FA Cup Final victory over Manchester United last May, but this time he played a significant part in Portsmouth's win. Although Kanu was made the sponsors' man of the match, most of the Portsmouth team credited Diarra with being the best player on view.

Midfielder Niko Kranjcar said: "Diarra played well for us, but we all played well as a team. We played how we needed to and kept the ball great. We created chances and scored the goal, then we continued to control the game until maybe the last minute when they had a shot blocked.

"I am sure Diarra can be one of the stars of the European Championship. He can do everything and it is a great coup for Portsmouth to get a player like him.

"It is a great thing for the club to get international players who have won things in their careers."