Sunderland are in talks to sign the £10m star who would be a huge upgrade on Diarra

Sunderland broke the bank last summer in their bid to sign midfielder Habib Diarra from Strasbourg for a club record fee of £27m.

The Senegal international was signed for £6m more than the second most expensive player in the club's history, Simon Adingra at £21m, but has yet to meet his value this season.

Diarra, who came off the bench in last weekend's 1-1 draw with Wolves, has scored just two goals at 3.29 xG in 18 Premier League appearances for the Black Cats.

The 22-year-old talent also struggled against Sunderland, losing 54% of his ground duels and 57% of his aerials in the division.

He is currently averaging 0.8 tackles and 0.2 interceptions per game in the Premier League for Regis Le Bris, which shows that the midfielder rarely contributes much defensively.

Sunderland are keen to sign the German midfielder

Diarra's lack of consistency in the final third and struggles on the ball could see him lose his place in the starting XI ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.

The Black Cats have already made a move after signing a replacement, and are reportedly looking for a star player who can improve their midfield.

According to Sky Deutschland, via Sport Witness, Sunderland are one of the clubs interested in signing Schalke midfielder Soufiane El-Faouzi in next summer's transfer window.

The report says that the Black Cats have made inquiries about the German star's move, entering into discussions about what the deal might look like when the season starts.

It is added, however, that Scottish giants Celtic and Premier League rivals Brentford have also been in talks with Schalke to inquire about his services.

Sky Deutschland also revealed that the 2 Bundesliga champions. They value the 23-year-old at a price of around £10m, which won't break Sunderland's bank.

How Soufiane El-Faouzi could be an upgrade on Sunderland's Habib Diarra

The Black Cats could improve their field by beating Celtic and Brentford to sign El-Faouzi as his form this season suggests he will improve Diarra.

The German star could contribute a lot to the club as a creative threat if he can transfer his form to the Premier League, having created 11 more 'big chances' and ten times that amount this season.

These statistics suggest that El-Faouzi, who has also scored two goals in 2. Bundesliga, he is a magician with the ball at his feet because he is able to unlock the defenses of the opposing teams in magical moments, which Diarra failed to do.

As mentioned above, the £27m Sunderland flop has also struggled in the Premier League this season, averaging less than one per game and losing most of his games on the ground and in the air.

El-Faouzi, on the other hand, is averaging 3.0 tackles and 1.2 interceptions per 2 games. Bundesliga, and has also won 54% of his home games in Germany's second division.

The 23-year-old talent can offer more to Sunderland than Diarra by ending opposition attacks with tackles, interceptions, and duels won in the middle of the park.

El-Faouzi has yet to be tested in one of Europe's major leagues, meaning it could be a risk for the Black Cats, but his form at Schalke shows that the potential is there for him to make an excellent signing for Le Bris.

That's why the club should aim to win the race for Schalke's star when the summer transfer window officially opens next month, as he can improve the squad and add more flair and defensive quality to the midfield.