Diakite in permanent QPR move

Samba Diakite: Has put pen to paper on long-term deal with QPR

Samba Diakite has joined QPR from Nancy in a permanent deal after his recent loan spell at Loftus Road.

The Malian helped Rangers avoid relegation with some influential performances in his nine appearances.

Sent-off on his QPR debut, the 23-year-old went on to find his feet in the Premier League with his only goal securing a home win over Arsenal.

"It's a dream come true to sign this contract," said Diakite after putting pen to paper on his four-year deal.

"I loved my time here on loan and I couldn't be happier to join QPR on a permanent deal.

"It's a fantastic club to play for and the owners have great plans for the future - I am just delighted to be part of it."

Accomplished

The signing of Diakite follows the captures of Andrew Johnson, Ryan Nelsen and Robert Green, and manager Mark Hughes has hailed the addition of another player to his ranks.

"He's a very accomplished footballer and he's made to measure for the Premier League," Hughes told QPR's official website.

"He's got good pace, strength and ability on the ball and he's going to be a great asset for us going forward. There's still so much more to come from him."

QPR Chairman Tony Fernandes was delighted with the capture of Diakite.

"It's a watershed moment for us, a very important signing. He's a big player who has a big future with us," he told Sky Sports News.

"He was very critical for us last season, he created a lot of chances and was a very important player for us."