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Arsenal make £5m on Diarra
Simon Johnson18.12.08
Arsenal are set to make around £5million when Portsmouth midfielder Lassana Diarra completes his £20million move to Real Madrid as expected, writes Simon Johnson.
The club put in a sell-on clause worth 25 per cent when they sold the France international to Portsmouth for £5m last January.
It means Arsenal stand to make an even healthier profit on the midfielder they signed from Chelsea for just £2m in August 2007.
The 23-year-old has travelled to Spain to have talks with Madrid.
Reader views (10)
terry! you sound like a really attractive guy!! will you go out on a date with me please? i love tottenham and i love big guys. call me!
- Dave, london, england
Rob the 'Crooner' we should really call you Dean Martin.
You do go a bit far to try to win a debate.
I love the influence the foreign players have had on the premiership, I just don't like seeing London club with no English players, for this reason I don't like Wenger.
The only person at Arsenal who will be for this new quota law will be poor old Pat Rice who won't need a translater when the 'Whiner' is discussing team tactics.
Face the facts, Arsenal are no longer serious contenders for any of the major tropies any more.
I am still in doubt about this Misses of yours, you sure your not still at home with Mum?
- Terry, London
Terry - You confuse me, do you truly want an all English premiership? We could go back to the good old days such as 1974 & 1978 when a vitually all English 1st division failed to provide players for the national team capable of qualifying the world cup finals. Other than when an English manager managed the national team we have qualified for all the major tournaments & done reasonably well. Should we return to the pre-sky days, with no Zola, Bergkamp or Klinnsman? In respect of Wenger he has won many trophies for Arsenal & has masterminded wonderful new training facillities & an amazing stadium. He is in the process of a new era with superb youngsters coming through. This policy was adopted in view of facing competition from financially doped clubs such as Chelsea & now Manchester City. PS The mrs looks awesome in her red & white kit!
- Rob Gooner, North London
Rob the 'Gonner' sorry 'Gooner' even you have to admit Wenger wouldn't be the laugh and soul of the Arsenal Christmas party (all that enjoying yourself) he is probably following developments about the overseas quota very carefully, they might have to start speaking English in the dressing room next season, one more excuse if things go wrong looking at it positively from 'The Whinging ones' position.
Regards to Mrs Rob the Gooner
- Terry, London
£5mill is good, £12mill fromt he sales of Bentley & Diarra, now thats good busniess....we got Nasri for free if you want to look at in that way. On Jan window and Wenger's comments he will only buy a special player. Well we at least need 2...central defender to replace Gallas and an attacking midfielder to replace Rosicky and cover Nasri & Walcott. Defour and Mexes for me, but i have a feeling a special player is someone like Aquilani!!! Toure, Djourou, Silvestre & Song might be enough for Wenger til the end of the season.
- Newmy, Milton Keynes
Terry - Firstly, the clubs may well have voted for a quota of home grown players, however we all know this is against european laws & hence wont work. To suggest that Wenger takes back handers for African players is ludicrous. Wenger has received substantial wages from Arsenal & is known to live sensibly & other than collecting a justified salary for his excellent work, has no need for back handers. Her indoors is lovely thank you!
- Rob Gooner, North London
Rob 'Crooner' sorry 'Gooner' I see the clubs have voted to increase the quota for home grown players in their squads, bet your excuse making whinger of a manager won't like that, he might lose his back handers from Africa for bringing so many of their players through the ranks, still he has got a new one up his sleeve if things go wrong next season.
How's her (or him) indoors?
- Terry, London
Almunia was hardly a replacement for Diarra - why so negative!
We have less debt than Utd, Chelsea and Pool....I really dont understand some peoples comments. Spoilt brats the lot of them.....you have to take the rough with the smooth!!!!
- Sue, London UK
ye this is absoulty fantastic news, did not want to see diarra leave but he did not have the patience.
so all together we have made 8 million quid.
i love these sell on fees we made about 5mil off pennant 8mil off bently when harper leaves reading that will br another 2-3 million. why dont we do it with the big players eg fabregas gos to milan say for 35mil and we get 25% sell on clause, so if milan sell fabregas to madrid for 60mil we get 15 mil and so on and so on. plus i forgot muamba hes making us money to.
- Simon, swansea
Shrewed business for Arsenal, but how does it ever equate to promising news for gunners fans? The money will go the a black hole again, and they are stuck with Almunia and SonG!
- Alan, Guildford
