Diarra completes Madrid switch

Mali midfielder Mahamadou Diarra has completed a €26m move to Real Madrid CF from UEFA Champions League rivals Olympique Lyonnais.

Diarra delight
Diarra was presented to the Spanish media late this evening after negotiations between the sides regarding a compensation claim were resolved and the player completed a medical. "I'm the happiest person in the world," the 25-year-old said. "It was a dream for me to play for Real Madrid and at last I'm going to fulfil it." The transfer makes him the Primera División's most expensive summer signing. Madrid president Ramón Calderón said: "We closed the deal for a figure considerably less than Lyon wanted."

More signings
Diarra joined Lyon from BV Vitesse in 2002 and won a French championship in each of his four Stade Gerland seasons, making 121 league appearances in all. He becomes Madrid's fourth recruit since Calderón was elected president last month, following the arrivals of Fabio Cannavaro, Emerson and Ruud van Nistelrooij. "We could still sign more players and I think we will before the transfer window closes," said Calderón, who also revealed that Ronaldo could be sold to AC Milan.