Arsenal and Southampton will apparently battle each other for Wolfsburg playmaker Diego,
What’s the latest?
With his contract set to expire at the end of the season and the January transfer window just over a month away, Brazilian playmaker Diego has been sounding out potential future employers. The 28-year-old has made no secret of his desire to play in England and has welcomed speculation linking him with moves to Arsenal and Southampton.
The nitty gritty
1. Diego’s rise to prominence is a typical tale for Brazil players. Having shown promise for local sides in and around his home town of Ribeirao Preto, he was spotted by Brazilian giants Santos, where he developed his craft before turning professional with the club aged 16.
2. During his time at Santos, Diego gained recognition, shining alongside future international team-mates Robinho, Elano and Alex and before too long, he caught the attentions of European sides. Portuguese side Porto were the lucky beneficiaries of his signature, bringing him to Europe as the replacement for Deco, who left the club for Barcelona in 2004.
3. One of the main criticisms of Diego is his wild inconsistency. The playmaker regularly flits between dazzling artistry and anonymity, and it was this which ultimately cost him his place at Porto. Luckily, Werder Bremen saw fit to bring him to Germany in 2006 – a move which proved to be inspired with Diego enjoying perhaps the finest spell of his career. Despite acting as a creative spark, Diego still managed to scored 54 goals in three seasons with the club, taking them to their first ever UEFA Cup final in 2009 and inspiring them two domestic trophies during his time.
4. His inconsistency proved detrimental to his time at Juventus and despite joining the Italian giants for €24.5m in 2009, he failed to settle and frequently fell-out with then coach Ciro Ferrara. Arguments with his bosses is something Diego has shown a penchant for and after only one season he moved back to Germany, this time to Wolfsburg.
5. Diego’s time at the Volkswagen Arena has been mixed to say the least. His frequent clashes with former bosses Steve McClaren and Felix Magath resulted in the Brazilian receiving regular fines and even saw him loaned out for the season to Atletico Madrid where he played an integral role in their 2012 Europa League success. This season has been slightly better, although he has made it clear this will be his last with the German club.
He says
“I know there is interest from Premier League clubs. I have heard Arsenal is one of them. It would be the ideal destination for me because their style suits my characteristics perfectly. Of course I would say 'yes' to Arsenal.”
– Diego on speculation linking him with Arsenal
"Southampton have great organisation and discipline and big talents like Adam Lallana. But again there is nothing concrete. Playing in England is a very attractive option at the peak of my career but I'm focusing on helping Wolfsburg get to the Champions League."
– Diego on possibility of joining Southampton
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