Black Cats pounce for Diarra
Habib Diarra of Senegal during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers match between Senegal and Malawi at Stade Me Abdoulaye Wade in Diamniadio, Senegal on 11 October 2024 ©Lamine Faye/BackpagePix
by Staff Reporter
Sunday Jun 29, 2025. 13:00
Premier League newcomers Sunderland have bolstered their midfield with the signing of Habib Diarra from Strasbourg for a club-record fee.
The Senegal international, who represented France at youth level, made his professional debut for Le Racing in October 2021 after graduating from their academy earlier that same year.
Diarra went on to become a first-team regular at the Stade de la Meinau and he featured 30 times in Ligue 1 last term to help Liam Rosenior’s side qualify for the UEFA Conference League via their seventh-placed finish.
The 21-year-old midfielder emerged as a target for the Black Cats after they earned promotion back to the top tier of English football via the Championship playoffs in May following an eight-year absence.
Diarra completed his medical on Wearside on Saturday before penning a deal worth an initial €31.5million plus €4m in add-ons, eclipsing the €23m fee Sunderland paid Roma to make Enzo Le Fee’s loan move permanent last month.
The Strasbourg youth product earned his first cap for the Lions of Teranga as a second-half substitute against Gabon on 22 March 2024 and has gone on to make 11 appearances for Pape Thiaw’s side, scoring four goals in the process.