Milan reveal Diarra bid - Italian giants failed in last-ditch attempt to sign midfielder

Diarra: The subject of a last-ditch bid by AC Milan

AC Milan chief executive Adriano Galliani has revealed the club failed in a last minute bid to sign Real Madrid's Lassana Diarra on loan.

The 26-year-old was widely expected to leave the Bernabeu over the summer, with Roma and Tottenham among the sides heavily linked with a move for the former Portsmouth man.

However, the transfer deadline passed without a move materialising, though earlier in the month Diarra had to deny rumours a deal had been agreed with Spurs.

It has now been revealed that Italian giants Milan made a late, but ultimately unsuccessful, bid to try and lure him to Serie A as cover for the injured Mathieu Flamini.

"We wanted to sign Lassana Diarra at the last minute," Galliani told Sportmediaset.