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Baba Diawara joins Adelaide United on advice of Perth Glory rival Castro

Former La Liga striker Baba Diawara has linked up with his new Adelaide United teammates after joining the A-League champions on the advice of Perth Glory rival Diego Castro.

The Senegalese forward arrived in Australia on Tuesday after a 48-hour journey from Dakar, and will be part of the Reds' AFC Champions League (ACL) campaign, beginning next week.

The 29-year-old revealed that he decided to make the move to the A-League after getting the advice of Castro, a one-time teammate at Spanish club, Getafe.

"I spoke with him before I signed the deal," Baba told the Adelaide Advertiser. "He is the one who told me about the A-League, and how good it is, and this club Adelaide United and how they won the championship last year.

Look who's here! Welcome, Baba �� #AUFC #ForeverUnited

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"I'm very happy to be here and now I want to meet my new teammates and work very hard so I can be a valuable member of my new club."

Baba will play some part of Adelaide's Friday night A-League match at home to the Newcastle Jets before next Wednesday's ACL opener against Japan's Gamba Osaka.

Head coach Gui Amor has preferred Baba over veteran Marcelo Carrusca in Adelaide's ACL squad, along with another new singing in South Korean midfielder Kim Jae-Sung.

Spanish attackers Isaias and Sergio Cirio also make the cut, with injured defender Iacopo La Rocca left out.

Baba scored only three goals in 30 appearances for Sevilla in La Liga. But he has a better record in Portugal's Primeira Liga, netting 48 times with 21 assists, in 128 matches for over five seasons with Maritimo.

He crossed paths with Castro in the 2014-15 season at Getafe where he scored one goal in 21 appearances.