10 Shocking Chelsea Departures That Nobody Expected
5. Lassana Diarra
The reason that such an irrelevant footballer as Lassana Diarra has managed to find himself in such a lofty position in this list is because nobody could quite believe the impatience shown to Jose Mourinho. At only 22 years of age, Chelseas 05/06 Young Player of the Year wasnt content with slowly being blooded into the Blues line-up and starting the victorious 2007 Carling Cup final. Reports were soon to surface that Diarra was growing weary at his lack of game-time, and was willing to allow his contract to expire in January 2008 and leave on a free transfer. What will have rocked the support the most was the club selling one of their prized youth assets to title rivals Arsenal on the transfer window deadline day in the summer of 2007.
''Of course, I am excited by what the future holds and keen to play my part in helping Arsenal fight for trophies. - Lassana Diarra, August 2007.
Diarra would exercise the same petulance and impatience at the Emirates Stadium, voicing his dismay at not playing enough first-team football there either, and signing for Portsmouth in the next transfer window. They say patience is a virtue, but clearly Lassana Diarra knew nothing of the word in his youth.
Recent Journalism & New Media graduate. Insatiable thirst for all things football, and hopes to break into the field of sports journalism in the near future.
Have made a significantly insignificant playing career out of receiving several slaps around the head for not passing the ball.
