Papa Bouba Diop Bio Send To Friend  

Papa Bouba Diop joined Portsmouth from Fulham on transfer deadline day in August 2007 and quickly established himself as an important part of Harry Redknapp's squad, making 28 appearances in all competitions in his first season at Fratton Park.

A towering, leggy figure in midfield Diop is strong in the tackle with a good eye for a pass and boasts a fearsome, though sometimes wayward, shot.

The Senegal international joined Fulham in July 2004 from RC Lens for an undisclosed fee, believed to be £2million.

Diop earned plaudits during the African Nations Cup in 2002 as Senegal lost in the final on penalties; he was also one of the stars of Senegal's run to the World Cup quarter-finals that same year, grabbing headlines after scoring the only goal in the tournament's opening match against then-World Champions France.

The defensive midfielder, who signed a four-year deal with the Cottagers, also enjoyed a spell in Switzerland with Grasshoppers Zurich before his move to Lens in January 2002.

He made 25 league appearances for Lens in 2003/04, scoring three goals and also netting twice in the UEFA Cup.

Diop was linked with Manchester United during the transfer window in January 2003, but the Red Devils were put off by the price tag. Interestingly the transfer sparked a row with Portsmouth, who believed they already had a deal in place to sign the Senegal star.

He made his Fulham debut in a 1-1 draw at Manchester City and continued to impress as a powerful central midfielder.

Suffering from injuries in recent times, his chances of first team football were limited and saw him drop down the pecking order at Craven Cottage.

In January 2007 Wigan Athletic made a £5million bid for the midfielder but Diop decided against the move and stayed with Fulham, helping them to avoid relegation in the 2006/07 season.