Liverpool: Tottenham have agreed terms in principle on a deal worth 10 million pounds to sign midfielder Lassana Diarra from Real Madrid.
Spurs made the breakthrough in negotiations on Thursday but the France international will not make his debut against Manchester United on Monday night as the deadline to register players for this weekend's matches has now passed.
Real Madrid have indicated that they will accept a bid in the region of 10 million pounds and have given Spurs permission to talk to Diarra, who is close to agreeing personal terms.
Diarra, 26, has been offered a salary package worth 100,000 pounds a week once bonuses and signing-on fees are taken into account. The former Arsenal and Chelsea man has made it clear that he would like to leave Real this summer and is keen on a move to White Hart Lane.
Spurs are finally closing in on Diarra having tried to sign him in the previous two transfer windows, with manager Harry Redknapp desperate to re-unite with the player he signed for Portsmouth in January 2008.
They had feared that a deal would be scuppered by Real Madrid's 16 million pounds asking price and Diarra's wage demands, but are now confident of concluding the transfer in the coming days. Spurs had also been concerned about Diarra's medical history after he missed the 2010 World Cup with a genetic blood disorder.
Diarra is expected to join ex-Arsenal team-mate Emmanuel Adebayor at White Hart Lane. As Goal.com revealed on Tuesday, terms have been agreed in principle for the Manchester City striker to join on a season-long loan, with the north London club holding the option to make the move permanent at the end of the season for 12 million pounds.
Spurs sources are adamant that Diarra will not arrive as a replacement for Chelsea target Luka Modric, who Redknapp accepted for the first time this week could leave the club this summer.
Diarra will instead be signed to complement the Croatian, with Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy prompted to push through the deal due to a knee injury that will keep Brazilian midfielder Sandro sidelined for a further two months.
Diarra has grown frustrated at a lack of first-team opportunities at the Bernabeu and has indicated that he would be keen on a return to the Premier League. Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho has made it clear that the midfielder does not feature in his plans and is surplus to requirements.
His arrival at White Hart Lane will once again open up the possibility.
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