Sunderland is facing a major obstacle this autumn with the injury of their key signing, Habib Diarra.
Arriving this summer from Strasbourg for a record fee of around 36 million euros including bonuses, the 21-year-old Senegalese midfielder had made a promising start to the Premier League season, participating in the club’s first four matches. However, this momentum was abruptly halted by a groin injury requiring surgery, which will keep him off the pitch until next December.
This absence is a serious blow for the Black Cats, who were counting on their talented young midfielder to strengthen their squad and compete in the English top flight. Diarra, who has already successfully integrated into the group under the management of Régis Le Bris, had proven his importance by playing in all matches so far and delivering solid performances, justifying the historic investment made for his transfer.
The operation to repair the groin injury was successful, but the prolonged recovery time will keep him out for about ten matches, depriving Sunderland of their midfield general during the autumn phase of the championship. The club nonetheless hopes for a triumphant return of Diarra before the end of the year, hoping he can quickly regain his level to help secure the club’s Premier League status.
This difficult situation is compounded by another recent injury announced within the Black Cats, that of Noni Madueke, who is sidelined for about two months due to a knee injury. Sunderland must therefore carefully manage their squad and rely on the depth of their group to cope with these major absences in crucial upcoming matches of the season.