Portsmouth have completed the signing of France midfielder Lassana Diarra from Arsenal for an undisclosed fee.
The 22-year-old only joined the Gunners from Chelsea last summer but has been frustrated by a lack of first-team opportunities at the Emirates Stadium.
Diarra will join his new team-mates for training tomorrow and could make his debut in Saturday's Barclays Premier League match at home to Derby County.
Diarra, who has signed a three-and-a-half-year deal, hopes the move will reignite his career, even though he admits he has ambitions to play for bigger clubs than Pompey.
The player believes it is important now to start playing regular games in the top flight, particularly with Euro 2008 looming, and he feels he will get that at Fratton Park under Harry Redknapp.
'My choice could shock and surprise people, I am conscious of that,' Diarra told French daily L'Equipe.
'It isn't Arsenal, it isn't Chelsea. But I know the Portsmouth manager, I know he is going to play me.
'I need to play. I really want to think about myself, about those who appreciate me, who want to see me a little more on the pitch.
'I am 22 and the most important thing for me is football, my job, my passion.
'I read that the club [Arsenal] wanted to keep me. But when you want to keep someone, you do it by playing them. This hasn't been the case.
'I am very happy. I feel better already because I know I am going to play and string together matches.'
With Sulley Muntari, Papa Bouba Diop, John Utaka and Kanu away on international duty in the African Nations Cup, Diarra should be thrown straight into Pompey's starting line-up by Redknapp.
Diarra admits he will be using Portsmouth to showcase his talents in the hope bigger European clubs come in for him later in his career.
But, for the moment, he is satisfied he has made the right choice.
'The people at Portsmouth know I will not spend my life at this club,' he added.
'If I shine, if a really big club wants me, I know already that everything will go well.
'Portsmouth are a respectable club who are enjoying a good start to the season. There are talented players here - (Sol) Campbell, Kanu, Benjani (Mwaruwari), Muntari, (Glen) Johnson, (David) James.
'Some are already saying that in going to Portsmouth, I am making a mistake regarding by chances with Les Bleus.
'But I don't think so. I have thought about it.'
