Charlton land Diawara but Bolanos is refused work permit

Charlton Athletic have signed the Senegal defender Souleymane Diawara, ensuring some positive news on a day which started with confirmation that the Costa Rica winger Christian Bolanos had been denied a work permit by the Home Office.

The centre-half, 27, has agreed a four-year contract in a £3.7m deal from the French club Sochaux.

Charlton's manager, Iain Dowie, needed cover at the back following injuries to Gonzalo Sorondo and Jonathan Fortune and the three-match suspension of Hermann Hreidarsson after his dismissal for an elbow foul on the Bolton striker Kevin Davies at the weekend.

"Souleymane is a player I've long identified as a top defender," Dowie said. "He has got great pace, big stature, good ability on the ball - and he is a very powerful defender."

Diawara holds a French passport so will not require international clearance. The 27-year-old, who started his career at Le Havre, joins his compatriot Amady Faye at The Valley, the defensive midfielder having arrived from Newcastle United.

Charlton had agreed a one-year loan deal with the Costa Rican club Deportivo Saprissa for Bolanos, but the work permit was denied, even though he has 18 caps, including playing in the World Cup, as the 22-year-old he did not meet the Government's required 75 per cent quota of 'A' appearances over the past two years.