There has been plenty of shock surrounding Habib Diarra’s late move to Sunderland as it seemed obvious he was joining Leeds United.
After flourishing with Strasbourg in France, Leeds were very keen on signing Diarra, as a £24m bid was tabled.
It appeared that everything was running smoothly, and even got to the point where Fabrizio Romano confirmed negotiations with Leeds and Diarra.
However, like always, there was a twist in the tale, and Sunderland are set to sign Diarra after agreeing a £30m fee, with a medical also booked.
A topsy-turvy saga which looks to be coming to a drastic end, but with the midfielder joining the Mackems, Leeds won’t have to worry about seeing Diarra anytime soon.
Largie Ramazani confronts Dan Neil after Leeds United beat Sunderland.
Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images
Why Habib Diarra won’t play in Sunderland vs Leeds United in 2025
The whole transfer clearly seemed more suited to Diarra.
Despite the 21-year-old having a preference for Champions League football, Diarra most likely looked into Regis Le Bris’ philosophy of developing young players who have learnt their trade through French football.
£30m does seem a bit steep for the signature of the box-to-box player, but Leeds fans aren’t happy after losing Diarra.
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Nevertheless, there is a big positive that comes from this deal, and Sunderland fans might not even know it yet.
There is a tournament that is taking place between December 21st, 2025, and January 18th 2026, called the Africa Cup of Nations, and with Diarra being a shining light for Senegal, he is set to be heavily involved.
This means he could be out for over four weeks to Sunderland’s dismay, and there is a certain game taking place on the 27th December at the Stadium of Light, against Leeds, which Diarra will miss.
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Diarra absence sends key message to Leeds this transfer window
This seems like a bullet dodged from Leeds’ point of view, as they could have lost the 21-year-old at such a crucial point of the season.
Instead, it will be Sunderland who suffer from this situation, and it hands the Whites a potential boost in the relegation fight.
As it stands, Leeds don’t have a single player heading to the tournament, which starts at the end of the year, and might be a key message to the 49ers.
That message being to avoid players who could partake in the tournament so it doesn’t cost them further down the line.
This however, does bring complications as Leeds want Congo DR international Noah Sadiki, who will also be destined to play in the tournament.
It’s a risky decision, but after missing out on Diarra, Leeds might have no choice but to secure an £8.5m deal for Sadiki.