Pro Eleven Headline News
Real Madrid officially presents new signing Diarra
Real Madrid officially presented Lassana Diarra as their latest signing to the fans and the press on Monday lunchtime.
The 23-year-old French International is Real Madrid's third incorporation of the winter transfer market, joining fellow new arrivals Jan-Klaas Huntelaar and Dani Parejo at the club.
Diarra was signed from English Premier League club Portsmouth for a fee thought to be slightly over 20 million euros (1 euro = 1.39 U.S. dollars).
His deal will keep him at the Spanish club until the end of the2012-13 season and Real Madrid hopes that he will provide cover for the duo of Ruben de la Red and Mahamadou Diarra, both of who will be out for the rest of the current campaign.
"It is impossible to refuse an offer from Real Madrid. This was my dream since I was a child and I now want to do my best on the pitch," said Diarra in his first press conference as a new Madrid player.
He also promised that he would give everything for the team as Real looks to pull back a 12-point deficit over Primera Liga leaders FC Barcelona.
"I'm here to give 100 percent. I want to fight for the crest of this team. I have a strong personality and I want to prove my worth before my new crowd."
"I am a natural fighter. I've always proven to be. I am a defensive midfielder that specialises in recovering the ball, but I can also play as a right back," he said.
Landon Donovan Joins Bayern Munich
FC Bayern München have recruited Major League Soccer’s top star on an initial short-term deal. 26 year-old Los Angeles Galaxy forward Landon Donovan leaves the shadow of Hollywood to join the club nicknamed FC Hollywood on loan until March 15th, 2009. A longer deal has been agreed to but is dependent on the United States international’s performances.
This will be Donovan’s second spell in the Bundesliga after making seven appearances for Bayer 04 Leverkusen while under contract between 2001 and 2005. After playing only a handful of games with Leverkusen, Landon became unsettled and stated his intentions to return to MLS. He was loaned to the San Jose Earthquakes for several stints. Donovan joined the LA Galaxy in 2005 after his contract at Leverkusen expired.
Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge told uefa.com: “We have a great team and it’s no coincidence that we haven’t lost for 16 games in a row, thus we do not need any new signings. We have only loaned Landon Donovan until March 15th. If and how it will go with him after that will depend on how he develops.”
Donovan will be eligible and available for Bayern’s UEFA Champions League first knockout round ties against Sporting Clube de Portugal on February 25th and March 10th.
