According to reports from Fabrizio Romano, Sunderland are about to announce the signing of central midfielder Habib Diarra from RC Strasbourg for a fee of approximately €35.5 million.
The Senegalese international is poised to become The Black Cats’ second signing of the summer after Enzo Le Fée's loan was made permanent, and he’ll bolster their midfield ranks which were depleted after the sale of Jobe Bellingham to Borussia Dortmund earlier in the summer.
With Sunderland hoping to avoid immediate relegation back to the Championship, the key question that Sunderland fans will want an answer to is how will he fit in at the Stadium of Light?
Bellingham Replacement?
With Jobe Bellingham departing for Borussia Dortmund, many supporters will expect Diarra to slot into this Sunderland team as a direct replacement, and there are many areas, predominantly in attacking underlying metrics, where the two players are similar.
Indeed, according to FBref data, both players averaged approximately a shot per game (0.96 and 1.33 respectively) whilst also completing around 85% of their passes and averaging over 2 shot creating actions per match. These metrics show that Diarra has a similar skillset to Bellingham, making it more likely that he will have a smooth transition into Sunderland’s lineup.
Further, Diarra actually exceeds Bellingham’s underlying data for expected assists per game and (0.17 vs 0.07) whilst the Senegalese international also makes more progressive carries per game (2.34 vs 1.33) and has a much higher ratio of shots on target (40% vs 17%). This suggests that Diarra will provide more attacking impetus than the man who he is replacing, bolstering Sunderland's goal threat which will be vital if they are to survive.
However, that attacking spark comes at a defensive cost, as Bellingham made substantially more tackles (0.84 vs 1.85) and blocks per game (0.84 vs 1.44) whilst also having a more successful rate of winning duels (40% vs 61.4%) when comparing his defensive underlying metrics to Diarra's.
This may mean that the Diarra has not been brought in to directly replace Bellingham, and instead will be tasked with a different role as Regis Le Bris seeks to keep his team up.
That different role may see him utilised as a wider midfielder, as he was occasionally deployed in that role for Strasbourg. If that is Le Bris' strategy, then it would enable Diarra to maximise attacking output, whilst also allowing for a more defensive midfielder to slot in alongside him and avoid compromising Sunderland's solidity.
Youthful Experience
Despite being only 21 years old, Diarra has a plethora of experience of playing at the top level, which will be a vital asset for a Sunderland team who had the youngest average age in the Championship last season.
Indeed, Diarra made his Ligue 1 debut when he was 17, and has since amassed 94 appearances in the top flight in France. That experience will be crucial to guide a Sunderland team with a plethora of players who have never played in any top division through the challenging matches that happen in the Premier League.
With Diarra even captaining Les Bleu et Blanc in his last season in France, his leadership skills will likely be a critical asset if Sunderland are successful in their quest to survive.
Further, Diarra is used to playing against elite players, as he has earned 11 caps for Senegal. The most recent of these appearances came in the Lions of Terranga’s 3-1 victory over England, where Diarra scored the goal to put his side in front as part of a commanding display that will leave Sunderland fans to see what he can do for their team.
If he can use his experience to guide his teammates who are yet to face a challenge like the Premier League, then Diarra will be an influential signing at the heart of Sunderland’s team.
Sunderland fans will have to wait until the start of the Premier League season to see Diarra in competitive action. They open their campaign at home to West Ham on the 16th August, in what will be their first game in the top flight since 2017.
