It means Sunderland AFC have secured a club-record transfer deal. They are set to be joined by 21-year-old Senegal midfielder Habib Diarra from Ligue 1 side Strasbourg. The agreement is valued at £30 million. It includes an initial payment of £27 million, with an additional £3 million linked to performance. Enter Diarra, who seems specially signed to fill the void left by Jobe Bellingham. In July 2020, Manchester City signed Bellingham for an undisclosed fee, believed to be around £27.8 million.
Diarra gained attention this past June after scoring for Senegal in a friendly match against England. His remarkable performance has attracted a lot of interest from around the world from many clubs. One of those is Leeds United, another newly-promoted team to The English Premier League. In the end Sunderland won the race for his signature, fending off the intense competition.
Diarra will need to pass a medical before the formalities of the transfer can be completed. Once he successfully completes the test, he will officially sign the contract with Sunderland. Upon completion, this milestone will highlight the club’s historic investment. It also represents the beginning of Sunderland’s nurturing hopes of a new era after gaining promotion to the Premier League.
The fiscal impact of the transfer is particularly remarkable. Sunderland, in the very recent past, broke their own player transfer record, spending £20 million. They reached this important ceiling by signing Enzo Le Fee from Roma a mere four weeks ago. With this new acquisition of Diarra, the club illustrates its commitment to enhancing its squad and competing effectively in the top tier of English football.
Sunderland’s strategic move to invest all of Jobe Bellingham’s transfer fee into Diarra signifies a focused approach to reinforcing their midfield capabilities. Given his overall skillset and his performance over the last three years, it is safe to say Diarra will cover the ground left by Bellingham’s exit effectively.
Beyond these grand transfer plans, there’s plenty that Sunderland supporters should be excited about heading into such a transitional season. Sky Sports has cracking news. This will mean they’re the only platform to show 215 Premier League matches next season, meaning they’ll broadcast live 80 percent of all Premier League games that are televised. This comprehensive coverage will increase significantly from the prior 128 matches, giving fans more access than ever before to exciting Premier League action.
As the summer transfer window for the 2025/26 season approaches, Sunderland’s proactive engagement in the market reflects their determination to build a competitive team capable of making an impact in the Premier League.
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