Statement released as £30m Sunderland midfielder undergoes surgery after snubbing Leeds United transfer
The midfielder is already set to miss his side’s Premier League meeting with Leeds United in December.
Sunderland midfielder and Leeds United summer target Habib Diarra is facing a lengthy spell out after undergoing surgery on a groin injury.
Diarra was the subject of formal offers from two of the Premier League’s newly-promoted teams over the summer, with Leeds lodging a £22million bid before Sunderland upped that number significantly. The Black Cats eventually got their man for £30m and he’d started every league game until missing out against Aston Villa on Sunday.
Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris revealed after that game - a 1-1 draw - he expects Diarra to be out for ‘a few weeks’ with a muscular injury, but a fresh update appears to suggest a more severe issue. Leeds’ Premier League rivals have now confirmed the 21-year-old faces more than two months on the sidelines after undergoing surgery.
A statement released by the club on Tuesday morning read: “Sunderland AFC midfielder Habib Diarra underwent successful surgery on Monday. After sustaining a groin injury in training ahead of the Club’s Premier League fixture versus Aston Villa, the 21-year-old will now begin a period of rehabilitation at the Academy of Light.
“Diarra, who moved to Wearside from RC Strasbourg in July, is scheduled to return to action in December. Wishing you well in your recovery, Habib!”
Diarra’s long-term absence is a major blow for Sunderland, who like Leeds have enjoyed a decent start to their Premier League return. Not only is the midfielder facing a long spell out, but his planned return coincides with the Africa Cup of Nations kicking off in December.
A fully-fledged Senegal international, Diarra is expected to represent his country at the major continental tournament, which runs from December 21 to January 18. Players will be called up to join their compatriots for pre-tournament training a couple of weeks prior to the start date, which could potentially mean the former RC Strasbourg man does not play for Sunderland until 2026.
Sunderland set for major absences during Leeds United clash
Sunderland’s summer recruitment involved signing a large number of players who are expected to leave for AFCON in December, which poses a squad concern for Le Bris. Diarra, Noah Sadiki, Reinildo Mandava, Chemsdine Talbi, Simon Adingra and Arthur Masuaku could all be unavailable for periods over Christmas due to the tournament.
Leeds go to the Stadium of Light during AFCON, with their fixture at Sunderland currently scheduled for December 27. It is likely Le Bris’ side will be significantly weakened due to the aforementioned first-team players being in Morocco representing their nations.
During the AFCON period, Sunderland also face the likes of Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur, Brentford and Crystal Palace. They also face Brighton and Newcastle in the fortnight before, which players could miss if they are to be called up early for pre-tournament training.
Daniel Farke does not have anyone in his first-team squad who plays international football for an African country, which should offer them a potential boost over rivals during that period. Leeds and Sunderland have both enjoyed strong starts to the campaign, taking seven and eight points respectively from their opening five fixtures.