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Vous or Tu? It speaks volumes about Habib Diarra that his elation at being promoted from Strasbourg’s Under-17s to the senior squad was mixed with anxiety over the two French words for “you.”

Was it appropriate to address new, senior teammates by using “tu” be regarded as too familiar? Ultimately, the young midfielder opted for caution and chose the more polite “vous”. Cue wholesale laughter from the older players who told him not to be so ridiculous; he was part of the group now.

“After I had the first call with the coach, I sat down and said to my parents: ‘Sunderland’s where I want to be; that’s where I want to play.’ England's top flight was always a goal of mine and the coach outlined for me a well-defined and appealing project.”

Roughly half a decade 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 innate courtesy endures but it is evident that the young Senegal international and doubt are practically unacquainted. Diarra carries himself with the confidence befitting a player who captained Strasbourg at the age of 20 and, only last month, returned from Morocco holding an Africa Cup of Nations winners’ medal.

A Clear Project

Now that the groin issue that sidelined him for much of the first half of the domestic season healed, Diarra is on a quest to show exactly why he agreed to become Sunderland’s most expensive acquisition last summer. Analysts in France and Senegal questioned Diarra’s unfashionable choice but he knew all about Régis Le Bris’s reputation as a gifted youth coach.

“I haven’t been surprised by the coach’s capabilities because I already knew what he’s able to achieve,” says Diarra. “Facing his teams I understood he was very good, very strong in terms of strategy. He’s someone I know is helping my game progress. And although our primary aim is reaching 40 points, a place in Europe is certainly a realistic target this season.”

A Family Atmosphere

Outside, the chilly February wind and driving rain makes the region look as grim as it is often depicted. Inside, things are considerably warmer. The environment is free of the type of tension notable at certain clubs where administrative staff are deliberately segregated from first-team players. Diarra portrays the environment as “really natural” and commends Le Bris’s role in its formation.

“Our manager repeatedly states to us that we have a familial bond here and we all support each other,” he says. “Each of us takes pride of each other.”

Liberty and Structure

If the organisation, discipline and sheer hard yards underpinning Sunderland’s defensive organization are a testament to the head coach’s meticulous eye for detail, Le Bris also likes his players to use their initiative. He offers his midfielders full freedom 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 box-to-box No 8. “Out on the pitch that feels good. That autonomy is so important. Granit, our skipper, helps us a lot. He’s a really big player and a superb role model.”

Path and Settlement

Diarra is speaking through a French interpreter but his English has advanced to the point where he can grasp most questions. He is now focusing on acquiring the language skills to also answer them, which would be his third language. He is fluent in Wolof, the language he spoke in his youth in Guédiawaye near the Senegalese capital.

His early maturity helped him combat the disappointment of needing groin surgery followed by four months on the sidelines last autumn. “Getting hurt so soon after arriving here was disheartening, for sure,” he says. “But it was up to me to handle the situation.”

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 enjoyed representing for France but my inner feeling prevailed,” says Diarra. “There’s no regrets. I was born in Senegal; it fills me with pride to play for them.”

Similar emotions apply to Sunderland. “I've settled very well,” he says. “I am really comfortable here.”