Friday Jan 13 2006 14:09
Arsenal have confirmed the signing of France Under-19 international Abou Diaby from Auxerre for an undisclosed fee.
The midfielder has made just ten first-team appearances for Auxerre, but Gunners boss Arsene Wenger is sure he has made a wise investment in handing him a long-term contract.
Wenger told the club's official website: "He is a strong midfielder and has shown huge potential during his time at Auxerre. He will be a tremendous addition to our squad."
Diaby, who turned down the chance to join Chelsea, is looking forward to working with some of his illustrious new team-mates.
"I am so happy to have signed for Arsenal. The club has great history and a squad which is full of high quality players," he said.
"This is a very exciting time for me and I'm looking forward to a successful career here."
Although Diaby has little experience in senior football he has been a key figure in France's successful Youth team, captaining them to victory in last summer's European Championship.
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