Senegal’s Habib Diarra Ruled Out of October World Cup Qualifiers After Groin Surgery

Senegal star Habib Diarra will be out of action until December after undergoing surgery on a groin injury.

The 21-year-old picked up the problem in training ahead of Sunderland’s 1-1 draw with Aston Villa on Sunday, with the club confirming the operation was successful on Monday.

He joined Sunderland from Strasbourg in July for a reported club-record £30 million.

The midfielder had featured in all four of the Black Cats’ Premier League matches before the setback.

Habib Diarra also represented Senegal in September’s international window, but the surgery officially rules him out of October’s World Cup qualifiers for his country.

The news comes as a major blow for both Sunderland and Senegal, with the Black Cats currently sitting seventh in the Premier League after their promotion-winning campaign last season.