Paris Saint-Germain are planning a surprise move for former Arsenal midfielder Lassana Diarra, according to reports in France.

Diarra currently plays for Al Jazira Club in the UAE Pro League, after moving from Marseille in April. However, ParisUnited.net report that the Ligue 1 leaders want the 32-year-old to make a return to their country. The French club are reportedly hopeful of a free transfer, if possible.

The rumour is a bit of a strange one, considering Diarra’s current situation. The UAE Pro League isn’t exactly the most respected league competitively, and the midfielder is hardly starting anyway.

Since that April move, the Frenchman has made four starts. Of those starts, he’s completed 90 minutes on two occasions. Not only that, but PSG aren’t exactly a club lacking squad depth or mega-funds to improve it.

Marco Verratti, Thiago Motta, Angel Di Maria, Julian Draxler, Adrien Rabiot and Javier Pastore are just some of the midfielders they already have in their ranks. A club that spent £200m on Neymar trying to pick up Diarra on a free doesn’t seem likely.

Then again, the Paris-born midfielder certainly has big-club experience. He joined Chelsea in 2005, before signing a deal with the Gunners a couple of years later. At the time, he took over the number eight shirt from Freddie Ljungberg, but five months later Arsenal sold him to Portsmouth.

Aged 23, the Frenchman then moved from Portsmouth to Real Madrid. He made 117 appearances for Los Blancos before leaving for Russia. In addition, from 2015 to 2017 he spent time with Marseille, as previously mentioned, so the player’s career has already had its fair share of ups and downs.

Whilst I still have my doubts, there’s a chance Diarra could return to the city where he started his career. I can definitely see the appeal for him, the question is simply whether PSG want it too.