Sunderland will triple Habib Diarra’s wages after the midfielder signed a five-year Premier League deal
Sunderland are on the verge of completing a significant transfer coup with the imminent arrival of Habib Diarra, and fresh reports from Senegal have revealed details of the midfielder’s new contract.
According to D Sports, Diarra has signed a five-year deal with Sunderland after undergoing a successful medical in Paris over the weekend. The report states the 21-year-old completed the tests “without any hitch” before putting pen to paper.
The financial package on offer is a major signal of intent from the newly promoted Premier League side. Diarra currently earns €110,000 per month at Strasbourg, but Sunderland are set to triple his wages to around €330,000 (£282,000) per month – a figure that places him among the club’s highest earners, if not the highest at around £70,000-per-week. The deal, worth around £30million, reflects the growing ambition of the project at the Stadium of Light, with Sunderland moving quickly to beat off competition from the likes of Leeds United for the Senegal international.
Big numbers in Ligue 1
Diarra enjoyed a standout campaign in Ligue 1, scoring seven goals across 2,969 minutes for Strasbourg – an average of 0.21 goals per 90 minutes. That compares favourably to Jobe Bellingham’s five goals in 4,363 minutes for Sunderland last season, a rate of just 0.10 per 90.
The Strasbourg man also posted 1.97 shots per game with a 9.0% conversion rate. Bellingham, by contrast, averaged 1.35 shots per game and converted at 7.7%. Diarra’s total of nine Ligue 1 goal contributions placed him alongside the likes of Chelsea-linked Malick Fofana and Monaco starlet Eliesse Ben Seghir, underlining his influence in a youthful Strasbourg side that finished seventh – the club’s second-best top-flight finish this century.
Official announcement expected shortly
With the medical now complete and the paperwork signed, an official announcement from Sunderland is expected in the next few hours. D Sports even posted a picture of Diarra undergoing physical tests, though it’s unclear whether it was taken during his Sunderland screening.
Diarra becomes the first major signing of the summer under Régis Le Bris, who is pushing to reshape the Black Cats’ midfield ahead of the Premier League return. The Diarra–Dan Neil–Enzo Le Fée axis, if completed, could form the spine of a bold new-look engine room alongside potential further signings and input from Chris Rigg. Sunderland are expected to remain active in the market with further reinforcements planned across multiple positions.
What other Sunderland transfer news is there?
Sunderland have agreed a deal to sign Reinildo Mandava on a free transfer from Atlético Madrid, with the 31-year-old set to become the club’s latest summer signing.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano confirmed the move on Sunday, stating: “Reinildo to Sunderland, here we go! Two year deal done for the left back set to join from Atlético Madrid.” The experienced defender joins following the expiry of his contract with the La Liga side, where he made 74 appearances across all competitions after arriving from Lille in 2022.
Reinildo featured at the Club World Cup earlier this year but fell down the pecking order in Madrid and will now bring valuable experience to a Sunderland squad being rebuilt for Premier League football. Romano also noted that after investing heavily in 21-year-old midfielder Habib Diarra, who has reportedly joined in a club-record £30million deal, Sunderland are now looking to strike the right balance between youth and experience.
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Described as part of an “ambitious project,” the arrival of Reinildo signals another decisive move under owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus, head coach Régis Le Bris, and incoming director of football Florent Ghisolfi. Sunderland are expected to continue their recruitment drive, with Armand Laurienté and Marcin Bulka among the players currently being monitored.
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