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Formal or informal? It reveals much about the young Senegalese star that his elation at being promoted from Strasbourg’s Under-17s to the first team was mixed with worry over the two distinct words for “you.”

Would addressing new, senior teammates by using “tu” be considered disrespectful? In the end, the young midfielder played safe and chose the more formal “vous”. This prompted wholesale laughter from the older players who instructed him not to be so silly; he was one of them now.

“Once I received 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 ambition of mine and the coach outlined for me a well-defined and appealing project.”

Almost five years later, Diarra is sitting in an office at the club's training ground detailing why he turned down offers from, among others, Milan, Atlético Madrid, Eintracht Frankfurt, Aston Villa and Leeds. His innate courtesy endures but it is evident that the young Senegal international and uncertainty are virtual strangers. Diarra carries himself with the self-assurance befitting a player who led Strasbourg at the tender age of twenty and, only last month, returned from Morocco holding an AFCON championship trophy.

A Clear Project

With the groin injury that kept him out for much of the opening months of the league campaign resolved, Diarra is on a mission to show exactly why he agreed to become Sunderland’s record £30m signing last summer. Analysts in France and Senegal queried Diarra’s surprising decision but he knew all about the manager's reputation as a gifted youth coach.

“I haven’t been surprised by the coach’s capabilities because I already knew what he’s capable of,” says Diarra. “Playing against his teams I realised he was very good, very strong in terms of strategy. He’s someone I know is aiding my development. And although our primary aim is reaching 40 points, a place in Europe is certainly a achievable goal this season.”

A Unified Environment

Externally, the cold winter gusts and driving rain makes the region look as bleak as it is often depicted. Inside, things are much more welcoming. The environment is devoid of the type of strain found in certain clubs where administrative staff are kept apart from Premier League squads. Diarra describes the environment as “really natural” and praises Le Bris’s role in its formation.

“The coach always says to us that we have a familial bond here and we all fight for 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 attention to minutiae, Le Bris also likes his players to think for themselves. He offers his engine room players full freedom to be creative and swap roles.

“Our manager establishes his tactics out within a structure but we have freedom to play within it,” says Diarra, who favors playing as a all-action 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 fantastic example.”

Journey and Adaptation

Diarra is speaking through a French interpreter but his English has progressed to the point where he can grasp most questions. He is now focusing on acquiring the vocabulary to also answer them, which would be his third tongue. He is proficient in Wolof, the language he spoke in his youth in his hometown near Dakar.

His precocious maturity helped him combat the disappointment of needing an operation followed by four months out of action last autumn. “Getting hurt so soon after arriving here was frustrating, 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.”

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