Abou Diaby to FC Dallas: Midfielder in talks with MLS side after Arsenal exit

The Frenchman could rebuild his career in America

James Orr
Thursday 02 July 2015 09:28 BST
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Abou Diaby makes a pass during Arsenal's 2-1 League Cup defeat by Southampton - his only appearance last season
Abou Diaby makes a pass during Arsenal's 2-1 League Cup defeat by Southampton - his only appearance last season (Getty)

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Abou Diaby is in talks with MLS side FC Dallas, as he aims to rebuild his career in America after being released by Arsenal.

The Daily Mirror have reported that the injury-prone midfielder is in alks with the club.

Diaby was released by the Gunners on Wednesday, ending his nine frustrating years at the club.

A statement from Arsenal read: "A hugely talented midfielder, unfortunately his time at the club was interrupted by a number of serious injuries."

The French midfielder made just one appearance for the club last season, playing 67 minutes in the 2-1 Capital One Cup defeat by Southampton in September. He is now out of contract and it has not been renewed.

Back in November, Gunners' manager Arsene Wenger had denied suggestions that the 29-year-old was injury prone, pointing to the fact that the player had fractured his ankle after a tackle from Sunderland's Dan Smith in 2006, and never truly recovered.

"He [Diaby] is a player that I have an enormous amount of respect for," explained Wenger.

"Every time he comes back, he has to start from zero with another injury. He was a victim of competition.

"A footballer needs his ankle. He was destroyed by a bad tackle [by Dan Smith in May 2006 that saw Diaby suffer a fractured ankle] at Sunderland six or seven years ago which altered his ankle.

"He is not a fragile player. He was the victim of an assassin's tackle that went unpunished."

In total, Diaby made only 124 Premier League appearances in his nine years at Arsenal, as he battled back injury after injury following on from his fractured ankle in 2006.

He played just 16 minutes out of a possible 6,840 in the Premier League since the start of the 2013/14 season.

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