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Vous or Tu? It says a lot about the young Senegalese star that his delight at being promoted from the youth ranks at Strasbourg to the first team was tempered by anxiety over the two French words for “you.”

Would addressing new, senior teammates by using “tu” be seen as too familiar? Ultimately, the young midfielder played safe and selected the more polite “vous”. Cue wholesale laughter from the veterans who told him not to be so ridiculous; he was one of them 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 dream of mine and the coach outlined for me a clear and interesting project.”

Roughly half a decade later, Diarra is sitting in an office at the club's training ground detailing why he ignored overtures 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 practically unacquainted. Diarra carries himself with the confidence befitting a player who led Strasbourg at the age of 20 and, only last month, returned from Morocco holding an Africa Cup of Nations championship trophy.

A Defined Vision

With the groin injury that kept him out for much of the first half of the domestic season healed, Diarra is on a mission to demonstrate precisely why he agreed to become Sunderland’s most expensive acquisition last summer. Pundits in France and Senegal queried Diarra’s unfashionable choice but he knew all about the manager's reputation as a talented youth coach.

“It came as no shock by the coach’s ability because I already knew what he’s able to achieve,” says Diarra. “Playing against his teams I understood he was very good, very strong tactically. He’s someone I know is helping my game progress. And although our first objective is reaching 40 points, a place in Europe is certainly a realistic target this season.”

A Family Atmosphere

Outside, the chilly February wind and heavy downpour makes Wearside look as bleak as it is often stereotyped. Inside, things are considerably warmer. The atmosphere is devoid of the type of tension notable at certain clubs where administrative staff are deliberately segregated from Premier League squads. Diarra describes the environment as “very organic” and commends Le Bris’s role in its creation.

“The coach always says 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.”

Freedom Within a Framework

If the structure, rigor and sheer hard yards underpinning Sunderland’s out-of-possession shape are a proof of 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.

“Our manager establishes his tactics out within a structure but we have license to play within it,” says Diarra, who favors playing as a box-to-box No 8. “Out on the pitch that feels good. That autonomy is so important. Our captain, Granit, guides 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 tongue. He is proficient in Wolof, the language he spoke in his youth in his hometown near Dakar.

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

Diarra is now anticipating playing in this summer’s World Cup. 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 adapted very well,” he says. “I am really comfortable here.”