According to various reports, Abou Diaby is set to revive his career in the USA after entering negotiations with FC Dallas.
The French international, 29, was yesterday released by Arsenal after nine and a half years at the club. He made 180 appearances in total, but only 22 in the last four years.
The MLS has become an increasingly attractive option for stars of the European game looking for a big pay day at the end of their career.
Thierry Henry, Freddie Ljungberg are the two most high-profile ex-Gooners to strut their stuff Stateside, while the likes of Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, David Villa and Andrea Pirlo have all followed in the steps of the league’s most high-profile capture, David Beckham.
Good luck to the lad if he decides to pursue the opportunity, heading to a comparatively less physical league certainly makes sense…
___
The sooner someone photoshops the below poster for us the better…
If you are feeling game send your efforts to @arseblognews…
Massive thanks to Liam O’Connor for this magnificent effort…
__
UPDATE – We’re wondering whether this rumour has stemmed from the fact Diaby posted tweets from Dallas earlier in the week where he’s been meeting the people behind a local sustainable energy company. All a bit ‘random’.
AD CODE
It’s become such a talking point we’re tempted to leave it there…
Sorry lads I’m a bit slow today, but what does the CODE stand for?
Complete Obfuscation of Diaby Exit
BAD CODE
MAD CODE
SAD CODE
SAD COD….. sounds a bit fishy to me!
Nothing to see here, move along.
_U.S. Central Intelligence Agency_
Bad Code? Nah…Bad You!
Would be good for him. I keep wondering what he’d done to deserve so much ill-luck all the years. I hope he gets strong and lucky over there. Great guy.
Deserving has got nothing to do with it. You think people who win the lottery were out feeding the needy and being utterly selfless weeks before winning? Or those girls who had their legs amputated after Alton Towers had done hideous deeds in their 17 years of age? It’s called Luck for a reason. Deserving etc starts to sound like religious bollocks. (And I believe in a higher power.)
Oh my god shut up
So sorry. Lets bring it back down. Terry’s a cunt. HFB (Swoon!!) Moaninho etc etc
I don’t care whether there is a shred of truth in this rumour or not, that was a great headline!
Agreed, but where’s the poo-meter?
Hope Dallas will be a good fit for him
I hope he come Dallas. I will definitely go watch him on action.
That’s what he said 😀
All the best Abou
“Diaby does Dallas”!
Laughed so hard I may have soiled myself.
The MLS has a shorter season. Might make it easier for him to get back into the game.
You can still be at the end of a bad tackle during a match in a shorter season of a less physical league. It all about luck. Wish him all the luck in this world.
From personal experience, contending with artificial turf in some places will be no picnic on dodgy joints.
And the MLS isn’t really less physical – there are a boatload of right cloggers in that league who think the way to the ball is through someone’s leg. And the refereeing is so bad that to call it pathetic would be an insult to pathetic referees everywhere.
Good Faith Energy sounds like a healing hands kinda thing. Is that what he’s resorted to?
Oh no!
The fellas at caughtoffside report we are on the verge of exchanging Diaby for messi.
Lack of ambition from the club, Arsene and Ivan if these Dallas rumors are true
As a Dallas resident and Gooner this news/rumor was bittersweet yesterday. Sad to see his Arsenal career end the way it did but then to read shortly after that he might be coming to my hometown club (established in 1996 after I became an Arsenal supporter) was surreal. It would be excellent for FC Dallas, which oddly enough is often accused of having no ambition and a exclusive concern for the bottom line. It’s also strange being this excited about an rumor of an exiting Arsenal player. Anyway, keeping my eye on this one. Fingers crossed.
I think he would have been a great player if only he could have kept fit but anyway I wish him all the best of luck in the future and hope he does well at Dallas but think this could be just a rumour but hope it is true good luck Abou
Though the news has of to the stinker side of the poo rating, I hope something works out for him.
From the clubs perspective, this means a spot in the midfield opens up in the squad, to add some competition for Le Coq!
Wish Diaby to be able to play lot of games for Dallas, become oil tycoon there after his retirement and come buy Chelsea and fire Mourinho and assistant Terry.
You know what this story needs? Just a *little bit* more condescension about the MLS. Just a tad.
Fear of the sleeping giant.
I think it makes sense for him to move away from England. Maybe a bit of time somewhere less physically demanding will help him get back on track if his body is not completely beyond repair. I really wish him the best of luck, which doesn’t often happen when someone leaves us still in their 20s. It’s just such a shame it didn’t work out for him. He’s a special player and I’ll always remember that performance at Anfield. I got so excited because he looked like he was fit and ready only to break down against Chelsea. He’ll always… Read more »
I can’t say I ever wanted to see anything like that photoshop 😮
Definitely headline of the year
This my favourite arseblog headline ever
Actually had tears in my eyes when i heard Diaby was released….The greatest player to never be..
Very sad footballing story.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLlYHRXDI_Q
That match against Liverpool….
Wow Liam just wow
If he finds his fitness and form at Dallas, can we have him back?! Make it so Abou, that clause should be a deal breaker.
Fuck no. Have some dignity Diaby. You’re 29 not 39.
So interestingly enough there isn’t a single 39 year old in MLS.
Diaby to the MLS would be exciting, as I could shake the man’s hand when he comes to Denver.
Sadly missed (over the last 4-5 seasons or more) Plenty of pretenders proposed by (media) but not many out there combine Diaby’s physical similarities to Viera plus tidy quick feet. Pogba comes closet with big price tag additional. Kongdogbia (now gone to Inter) also potential with suitably large price tag. Don’t think the likes of Melo or MVilla or Wanyama or Capoue or Carvalho (or away from media inspired racist undertones Gonalons) are in the same league combining offensive power with defensive ability (which Diaby started to get right during the season with the infamous Newcastle come back…his ejection from… Read more »
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Of all the pukey places he could possibly go, Dallas? No no no. There’s plenty of good MLS organizations not located in Texas. Plus, with his injury luck, he’ll DEFINITELY get shot there.
If anything, MLS is a more physical league than the Premiership. Lots and lots of hard tackles and poor refereeing that allows far too much leeway.
Agreed. Refereeing isn’t up to snuff and the tackles fly in just as hard (and a bit clumsier) in MLS than the Prem. Would hate to see him shattered again.
If Metro is to be believed, I hear he is in negotiations are advanced with Kenyan Premier League giants Gor Mahia for a four year contract. “Yes we are looking to strengthen, and He (Diaby) could be a great option. Nothing form yet. ” Gor manager was quoted saying
Is that Hugh Dallas the ex ref?
Err beckham? Best, Law, cruyff and err pele??
They were in NASL, not MLS.
Ok ta. Dont really care, just a dig at beckham.
Its all socker.
Best article ever
I live in Dallas and happen to have dinner with abou last week as we broke our fast. He is a friend of a friend of mine. I asked him about him being released he said don’t believe everything you read in the papers. He said he is going to Paris and then back to London to train for pre season. He said his contract is just up but that doesn’t mean they won’t offer him a new one. Pretty much said he has to prove himself to get a new contract but also said there’s some interest from PSG
Oh and he said he is only hear for some special training. He isn’t here to be considered for FC Dallas.