The midfielder came through the youth ranks at Auxerre and captained the French side which won the Under-19 European Championships in 2005, beating England 3-1 in the final in Belfast.
Diaby made his Auxerre bow in 2004/05 but had made only six league appearances and played twice in the UEFA Cup for Auxerre in 2005/06 due to a niggling injury.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger felt Diaby could add an extra dimension to the Gunners squad.
Diaby made his Arsenal debut as an 81st minute replacement for Robert Pires in a 1-0 defeat at Everton. He soon began to receive plaudits for his performances in the starting line-up.
Earning comparisons to Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira, Diaby's career took a turn for the worse when he suffered a broken and dislocated ankle caused by a reckless two-footed challenge by Sunderland's Dan Smith in May 2006.
Diaby was out for eight months, missing the 2006 UEFA Champions League Final against Barcelona, as well as the UEFA U-21 Championship 2006 with France.
He returned to action in January 2007, and his performances earned him a call-up to the full French squad where he won 2 caps and started against Austria.
Wenger used him on the left for a lot of the 2007/08 season and he showed his true potential with a stunning 25-yard strike against Derby. Although also showed his petulant side by getting his first red card against Bolton.
Preferring a central role, Diaby has the skills to replace the departed Mathieu Flamini in the heart of the midfield. Only then will he have a chance to put the Vieira comparisons to rest.
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