West Brom confirm Diaby offer

West Bromwich Albion manager Tony Pulis has confirmed the club have offered former Arsenal midfielder Abou Diaby a deal at the Hawthorns.

Diaby, 29, was released by Arsenal at the end of June after making just two appearances over the past two seasons with the Gunners.

However, Albion manager Tony Pulis has offered Diaby, once a regular starter for the French national team, another chance to play in the English Premier League, and rightly so.

“Diaby came in, he had his medical yesterday. We’ve made him an offer and we shall see,” Pulis said after the Baggies’ 4-1 pre-season win at Swindon Town on Saturday.

“The big thing with Abou is getting him fit and having the confidence from the medical team to do that. He is a top player and I mean he is a top, top player.

“We’ve had a look and we think there are things he can do to improve his chances of playing 30 Premier League games and we’re confident we can help him do that. Whether he accepts that and the ethos of the football club we’ll wait and see.”

Meanwhile, Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger insisted the France international deserves another chance to impress at the ‘top level.’

“I think Diaby is the biggest regret of my career,” Wenger said.

“He is a guy who has been severely injured and it is not acceptable, we have paid the price for that but I hope things turn around for him and they go well.

“First and foremost, he really didn’t achieve his potential unfortunately. I think he had great potential and he could only show that at certain periods of time.

“I’m a really big fan of Abou Diaby and I really hope from the bottom of my heart that he can end his career without any more injury concerns.

“It is a good experience for him, it is good for him to have a fresh start. He is 29 and can have three or four years at the top level.

“The fact that there was so much competition here makes it so much more difficult for a player who has been out for such a long time.”

Diaby, formerly of Auxerre, scored 14 goals in 122 Premier League appearances for Arsenal between 2005 and 2014.

West Brom, priced at 7/2 to achieve a top-1o finish in England’s top-flight in 2015/16, will host Manchester City at the Hawthorns to kick-off the new Premier League campaign on Monday, 10 August.

West Bromwich Albion (4/7) v. Manchester City (9/2); Draw (16/5)