Sunday 29 July 2007 15:45, UK
Alou Diarra is to join Bordeaux, spurning Man City's late bid to sign the midfielder.
Alou Diarra is to join Bordeaux this weekend, spurning Manchester City's late bid to sign the Lyon midfielder.Diarra has decided to stay in France rather than move to the Premier League, with Portsmouth also hoping to land the 26-year-old.
Sven Goran Eriksson tried to hijack Bordeaux's attempts to sign Diarra by offering Lyon more money, but the France international wanted to join Les Girondins.
Lyon chairman Jean-Michel Aulas has now agreed a deal with Bordeaux and Diarra should complete his switch in the next few days.
"Unfortunately for Bordeaux, we received an interesting proposition from Manchester City," Aulas told the French press.
"But after talks we found an agreement. The transfer fee will be ,é¼7.75million (£5.2million).
"I wanted that transfer for several reasons. He wanted to go to Bordeaux, so he goes to Bordeaux."
Bordeaux chairman Jean-Louis Triaud has revealed Diarra will not be the last new face at the Stade Chaban-Delmas.
Coach Laurent Blanc still wants to strengthen at the back, with Juventus' Jean-Alain Boumsong thought to be the No.1 target.
"He (Diarra) is the third reinforcement, after David Bellion and Mathieu Chalme," Triaud said in L'Equipe.
"Now we are looking for a central defender, and then it will be over."
