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Formal or informal? 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 mixed with anxiety over the two distinct words for “you.”

Was it appropriate to address new, senior teammates by using “tu” be regarded as disrespectful? In the end, the young midfielder played safe and selected the more formal “vous”. This prompted wholesale laughter from the veterans who instructed him not to be so ridiculous; he was part of the group now.

“After I had 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.’ 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 settled 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 clear that the young Senegal international and uncertainty are virtual strangers. Diarra carries himself with the confidence suited to 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 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 most expensive acquisition last summer. Pundits in France and Senegal queried 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 tactically. He’s someone I know is aiding my development. And although our first objective is reaching 40 points, European qualification is certainly a achievable goal this season.”

A Family Atmosphere

Externally, the chilly February wind and driving rain makes Wearside look as bleak as it is often stereotyped. Internally, things are considerably warmer. The environment is free of the type of tension found in certain clubs where administrative staff are deliberately segregated from Premier League squads. Diarra portrays the environment as “very organic” and commends 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 structure, rigor and sheer hard yards supporting Sunderland’s out-of-possession shape are a proof of the head coach’s attention to minutiae, Le Bris also likes his players to think for themselves. He offers his engine room players complete licence 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 prefers to be deployed as a box-to-box No 8. “During matches that feels good. That freedom is so important. Our captain, Granit, guides us a lot. He’s a really big player and a superb role model.”

Journey and Adaptation

Diarra is speaking through 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 proficient in Wolof, the language he spoke in his youth in Guédiawaye near the Senegalese capital.

His precocious maturity helped him combat the disappointment of needing an operation followed by four months on the sidelines last autumn. “Being injured so soon after arriving here was disheartening, for sure,” he says. “But it was up to me to handle the situation.”

Diarra is now anticipating 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 heart spoke,” says Diarra. “I have no remorse. 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.”