Diarra completed his €31.5m move on Tuesday evening, though the 21-year-old won’t report to the Academy of Light on Friday for the start of pre-season and will instead be given an extended break after representing Senegal last month.
Head coach Regis Le Bris is thrilled with the signing of Diarra, who turned down some of Sunderland’s Premier League rivals and major clubs overseas to move to the Stadium of Light.
But Sunderland will now swiftly shift their focus to further bolstering their squad.
Reinildo will be next through the door after the experienced left-back said an emotional goodbye to Atletico Madrid this week when his contract expired with the Spanish giants.
The 31-year-old has vast top level experience and will offer crucial competition for Dennis Cirkin, which was identified as a priority at the start of the summer window.
RECOMMENDED READING:
Sunderland were dealt a blow this week, however, with goalkeeper target Marcin Bulka opting for a move to Saudi to join Neom SC.
The 25-year-old is said to have undertaken his medical on Tuesday evening and will sign a lucrative four-year deal with the Saudi club.
What’s not clear at this stage is what that means for Sunderland and whether they will turn to alternative goalkeeper targets.
A priority now for the Black Cats after the signing of Diarra and imminent arrival of Reinildo is strengthening the attack.
Sunderland have a number of potential striker targets and are in talks with several clubs as they weigh up their options.
Lyon striker Georges Mikautadze and Nantes’ Matthis Abline are the latest forwards to be strongly linked with the Black Cats.
Sunderland are said to have held talks with Dynamo Kyiv over Vladyslav Vanat and have been heavily linked with Almeria striker Luis Javier Suarez.
Sunderland this week sanctioned the exit of Nathan Bishop, who joined AFC Wimbledon on a permanent deal, and several other fringe figures will be available for transfer in the coming weeks.
The likes of Pierre Ekwah, Abdoullah Ba, Nazariy Rusyn, Hemir and Adil Aouchiche don’t feature in Le Bris’ plans as the head coach prepares for the Premier League and all will be allowed to move on.
Nectar Triantis is another player who is expected to depart, with the Australian international in-demand on the back of his impressive loan spells in Scotland with Hibs.
Le Bris is now preparing to welcome back Sunderland’s players for the start of pre-season on Friday, and although Diarra won’t initially join up with the squad, the Frenchman is thrilled to have the Senegal international in his ranks.
He said: “We’re very happy. We chose each other, but most of all Habib chose Sunderland.
“It’s normal for a profile like him to have interest from top clubs across Europe, and the fact he picked us shows he shares our ambition and vision. He immediately connected with the values of the club – strong team spirit, high energy, and leadership.
“He can give a huge contribution to the group, because he brings qualities that align perfectly with what we’re building, both on and off the pitch, as we take this next step into the Premier League.”
Diarra is 21 but played more than 100 games for Strasbourg, who he also captained.
Le Bris said: “Age is only a number when you have his personal and technical qualities.
“Playing in that demanding position on the international stage, Habib proved he belongs to this level, Premier League perfectly fits to his profile.
“This next step – performing in a top league – is a big challenge, but it matches his ambition and his desire to keep progressing.”
Diarra joins Sunderland on the back of a hugely impressive season with Strasbourg under the tutelage of former Hull City boss Liam Rosenior.
“Strasbourg had an excellent season, under an English manager who brought a high-intensity playing style,” said Le Bris.
“Habib understood his demands very quickly, those demands set a benchmark, putting him on the right track to deliver what will be expected at the next level. Players who thrive in those environments often adapt well to the demands of this league.”
