“It’s a dream to play in the English Premier League” – Diarra

Senegal midfielder, Habib Diarra has spoken about his dream move to English Premier League side, Sunderland.

The 22-year-old transferred to the Black Cats last summer with manager Regis Le Bris playing a key role in roping in the service of Diarra from Ligue 1 outfit Strasbourg.

His €35 million move made him the most expensive player in Sunderland’s history and he has integrated into Sunderland’s squad with great finesse.

The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations winner opened up on how his move to Sunderland panned out after rec
eiving a call from the manager.

“After the initial phone call with the manager, I sat down with my parents and told them: ‘Sunderland is where I want to go. That’s where I want to play. The Premier League has always been a dream of mine, and the manager presented me with a clear and interesting project,” he told The Guardian.

Currently ninth in the table with 36 points, Sunderland’s objective is to avoid relegation, according to Habib Diarra. However, the African champion believes the Cats can aim higher this season.

“I know the manager well, and he’s someone who has helped me develop tremendously. And even though our goal is to reach 40 points, qualifying for European competitions is an achievable objective this season,” he added.

Habib Diarra who spent several years at Strasbourg’s youth setup before gaining promotion into the senior side, has so far played eight matches with one goal to his credit at Sunderland.

He was involved in four matches as Senegal romped to a 1-0 victory over hosts Morocco to lift their second Africa Cup of Nations in January.

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