SANKHOUN DIAWARA: FOCUS AND FUN FACTS | OneFootball

Following the arrivals of Gonçalo Ramos and Mario Gila, AC Milan have added an exciting young talent from French football. A signing made with both the present and the future in mind, Sankhoun Diawara is a left-footed defender blessed with outstanding athleticism and an imposing physical presence, standing at 190 cm tall. Strong in the tackle, quick to anticipate danger and dominant in the air, he has all the attributes needed to disrupt opposition attacks while also supporting his team's attacking transitions.

Although naturally a central defender, his versatility also allows him to operate at left-back. Born in Paris on 13 January 2006, Sankhoun began his football journey with FC Solitaires Paris and CA Paris-Charenton before coming through the youth ranks at ESTAC Troyes. He made his first-team debut in the Coupe de France in November 2024 and, one year later, scored his first professional goal in the same competition against UF Touraine.

Diawara initially found opportunities hard to come by in the 2025/26 season, but following an injury to former Juventus defender Paolo Gozzi, he gradually established himself in the starting XI. He went on to make 14 appearances, including twelve starts, helping Troyes secure promotion to Ligue 1. Diawara has also earned two caps for France U19s, having made his debut in a friendly in September 2024.

He always plays with white tape around his left wrist, a distinctive feature that makes him instantly recognisable on the pitch. Although his first name is Sankhoun, everyone in football knows him as "Papis", a nickname given to him by his mother, who is originally from Guinea. So far, he has represented France at youth level, but thanks to his dual French and Senegalese nationality, inherited from his father, his international future remains unwritten, with both Les Bleus and the Lions of Teranga still in the picture.

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