Diarra “100 percent” committed to Bordeaux

Bordeaux captain Alou Diarra declared himself “100 percent” committed to the club here on Friday, despite speculation linking him with a move to French champions Marseille.

“My situation is that I’m 100 percent Girondin (Bordeaux),” he said during a press conference at the Parc des Princes ahead of the Paris Tournament pre-season competition. “I’m very happy to be at Bordeaux.”

The 29-year-old defensive midfielder is reportedly Marseille coach Didier Deschamps’s top transfer target and new Bordeaux coach Jean Tigana conceded that it might not be possible to stop him leaving the club.

“I’ve never put a veto (on Diarra’s departure),” said Tigana.

“Until now, there’s only been you (the media) that’s been talking about it. The press fantasise. If there’s a development, there’s a development, but the player has never spoken about it. It’s just rumours.”

Diarra also said he was ready to return to international action for France, insisting he had fully digested the effects of their disastrous World Cup campaign.

“My aim is to move on and concentrate on the future,” he said.

“It was a bad experience. It happens in the career of a footballer.”

Diarra also said he agreed with the decision of new France coach Laurent Blanc, with whom he worked for three years at Bordeaux, to suspend all 23 World Cup squad members for the August 11 friendly in Norway.

“Personally, it suits me,” he said. “I’m not at 100 percent (fitness) and you have to be at 100 percent to play for the national team.”

Meanwhile, Paris Saint-Germain forward Ludovic Giuly played down rumours of a rift with coach Antoine Kombouare and said he hoped to finish the season at the team from the capital.

“I’m at Paris. I have a year left (on my contract), I’m very happy to be here and if not I would have already left,” said Giuly, 34.

“I want to finish my season with PSG. I’ve got no problem with Antoine. Everything’s going well. Whether I play or not, I’ll always be a PSG player.”

Bordeaux and PSG are both participating in the Paris Tournament, which begins at the Parc des Princes on Saturday, along with Porto and Roma.