Habib Diarra: Figurehead for new era Strasbourg | OneFootball

In an RC Strasbourg Alsace team full of recruits after new owners BlueCo 22 splashed their cash over the summer, Habib Diarra (20) stands in an unusual position.

The midfielder alongside Marvin Senaya (23) represents one of only two players who have managed to graduate from the Strasbourg academy system into the first team. In the process, Diarra has become a figurehead for the team and a symbol of the new project building in the East of France.

According to L’Équipe, even before BlueCo had bought the French club, they had identified Diarra as one of the brightest up-and-coming talents already present within the team, a valuation they acted on when they blocked his sale to RC Lens or Wolverhampton for €25 million.

A fee that would have far outstripped their previous record set that summer when they received Habib Diallo (28) for €18 million. Diarra has since extended his contract with the club until 2028 and has become a key part at the heart of Patrick Viera’s midfield.

Diarra versatile on the field and a leader off it

Despite the signings, Viera has been left with a lightweight squad and appreciates Diarra’s versatility, having played the midfielder across the middle of the park, both in more advanced and defensive roles.

This flexibility has even led to the question of whether the midfielder might be used as cover on the left wing for Ângelo Gabriel (19) who picked up an injury in training and will be out for weeks as he recovers.

His importance on the field has begun to add to his influence off the pitch, as L’Équipe reports that he was one of four players to meet last Tuesday with UB90, the main ultras group for the team, to try and soothe the ongoing crisis building between the club and its support.

GFFN | Nick Hartland