Everton and Villa battle for Real Madrid star

Everton and Aston Villa are battling for Real Madrid midfielder Mahamadou Diarra.

David Moyes and Martin O’Neill are both on the lookout for defensive midfielders and are keen on the man whose all-action style once made him one of the hottest properties in Europe.

The Mali international, who has previously been linked with Manchester United, met with new Madrid boss Jose Mourinho earlier this week and is now set for a move away from the Bernabeu.

Diarra, 29, could be available for as little as £10million but, after two seasons plagued by knee injury trouble, he is seen as a gamble.

He lost his place in the Madrid side under Manuel Pellegrini but hoped to force his way back into the reckoning under former Chelsea boss Mourinho.

He has now been told he can leave the Spanish capital, and his agent Frederic Guerra is talking to interested clubs.

Diarra cost the Spanish giants £22m when he was signed by Fabio Capello in August 2006 and played a key role in the club winning back-to-back La Liga titles.

Guerra insists Diarra is hungry to prove himself in the Premier League and says his client needs first-team football.

He said: "Diarra has always been very interested in English football and it would fit his game.

"The main thing for him is to play football every week because that is what he loves doing.

"He would not want to go to a top level club again and not play - that is not what motivates him."