Real in for Diarra?

As I've written before, I think the success of the second half of our season is largely contingent on our signing Lassana Diarra or someone just like him. As we see every week, Vincent Kompany is asked to do too much in midfield. Ireland is looking tired and Elano can't compete in a midfield three.

We've been linked very heavily with Diarra. Ian Ladyman wrote last week that a deal is 'in place'. So what we really don't need is another club coming in and spoiling this. But today we hear that Juande Ramos was so impressed with Diarra that he wants to take him to Real Madrid. A serious injury to Mahamadou Diarra (no relation) has left Real rather light in central midfield and so they need someone new. Real are more likely to be able to match us in the transfer market than, say, Tottenham Hotspur so if this story is true it could mean a bit of a re-think. Frings?

UPDATE 00.03 Something in the Mail on Sunday relieves my fears on this. Apparently Hughes "will make Portsmouth's £20million midfielder Lassana Diarra his first signing of the new window", because Real Madrid can't meet the asking price. The article also claims that Hughes wants to sell Elano and Jo, which sounds reasonable enough.