Tottenham Hotspur On Verge of Signing Lassana Diarra as Mauricio Pochettino Seeks Reinforcements

Tottenham Hotspur are on the verge of completing the signing of former Arsenal and Chelsea midfielder Lassana Diarra as Mauricio Pochettino looks to strengthen his faltering squad.

The Frenchman had been on the verge of moving to QPR in the summer but Harry Redknapp was forced to instead consider Spurs' Sandro after the move collapsed.

Now the 29-year-old, a free agent after leaving Russian side Locomotiv Moscow earlier this year, could make a return to London to bolster Spurs' ranks.

French sports magazine L'Equipe reports the White Hart Lane club became involved in advanced talks with Diarra following the injury to right back Kyle Walker.

Diarra, who would be able to play as a full back as well as a central midfielder, is reportedly being offered a financial package that includes a salary, signing-on bonus, and a pay-as-you-play bonus. He's only played 13 times for Arsenal, and seven for Chelsea, but was a prominent player in Redknapp's FA Cup winning Portsmouth squad.

Following his spell on the south coast, Diarra signed for Real Madrid in 2009 and made 87 appearances for Los Blancos before he was lured to Russia and Anzhi Makhachkala.

French club Marseilles had been tracking Diarra but it is the north London club that is closing in on his signature.

The proposed deal comes after Pochettino blamed a lack of concentration for his side's 2-1 loss to Newcastle on Sunday.