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Formal or informal? It says a lot about Habib Diarra that his joy at being promoted from Strasbourg’s Under-17s to the first team was accompanied by worry over the two French words for “you.”

Was it appropriate to address new, older teammates by using “tu” be regarded as too familiar? Ultimately, the promising talent opted for caution and selected the more formal “vous”. This prompted widespread amusement from the veterans who told him not to be so silly; he was one of them now.

“Once I received the first call with the coach, I reflected and said to my parents: ‘Sunderland’s where I want to be; that’s where I want to play.’ The Premier League was always a dream of mine and the coach presented me with a well-defined and appealing project.”

Almost five years later, Diarra is settled in an office at the club's training ground explaining why he turned down offers from, among others, several top European clubs. His natural politeness remains but it is clear that the 22-year-old Senegal international and uncertainty are virtual strangers. Diarra carries himself with the confidence befitting a player who captained Strasbourg at the tender age of twenty and, only last month, returned from Morocco holding an AFCON winners’ medal.

A Defined Vision

With the groin injury that sidelined him for much of the first half of the domestic season resolved, Diarra is on a quest to demonstrate precisely why he agreed to become Sunderland’s record £30m signing last summer. Pundits in France and Senegal questioned Diarra’s surprising decision but he knew all about Régis Le Bris’s reputation as a gifted youth coach.

“It came as no shock by the coach’s capabilities because I already knew what he’s capable of,” says Diarra. “Facing his teams I realised he was very good, very strong tactically. He’s someone I know is helping my game progress. And although our primary aim is reaching 40 points, European qualification is certainly a realistic target this season.”

A Family Atmosphere

Externally, the chilly February wind and heavy downpour makes the region look as bleak as it is often depicted. Inside, things are much more welcoming. The environment is free of the type of tension notable at certain clubs where administrative staff are kept apart from first-team players. Diarra portrays the environment as “really natural” and commends Le Bris’s role in its formation.

“The coach always says to us that we’re like a family here and we all support each other,” he says. “We’re all proud of each other.”

Freedom Within a Framework

If the organisation, discipline and sheer hard yards supporting Sunderland’s defensive organization are a testament to the head coach’s meticulous eye for detail, Le Bris also likes his players to think for themselves. He offers his engine room players complete licence to improvise and interchange positions.

“The coach sets his tactics out within a structure but we have freedom to play within it,” says Diarra, who prefers to be deployed as a all-action No 8. “Out on the pitch that feels good. That autonomy is so important. Our captain, Granit, helps us a lot. He’s a really big player and a superb role model.”

Journey and Adaptation

Diarra is using a French interpreter but his English has progressed to the point where he can understand most questions. He is now concentrating on acquiring the vocabulary to also answer them, which would be his third tongue. He is fluent in Wolof, the language he spoke in his youth in Guédiawaye near Dakar.

His early maturity helped him deal with the frustration of needing an operation followed by four months out of action last autumn. “Being injured so soon after arriving here was frustrating, for sure,” he says. “But it was up to me to manage myself.”

Diarra is now looking forward to playing in this summer’s global tournament. Given Senegal have been drawn in the same group as France, a poignant reunion awaits the former Les Bleus under-21 midfielder. “I loved playing for France but my heart spoke,” says Diarra. “There’s no regrets. I was born in Senegal; it makes me proud to play for them.”

Comparable feelings apply to Sunderland. “I’ve adapted very well,” he says. “I am really comfortable here.”