Ichaka Diarra: “I couldn’t sign for Girondins de Bordeaux”

The captain of the Mali U20 national team, Ichaka Diarrafinished third on the podium at the 2015 World Cup in New Zealand. He told Africafoot that he should have joined the Girondins de Bordeaux at the time. However, he suffered an injury during this competition, which derailed the transfer.

“After the U20 World Cup in New Zealand, I was approached by FC Porto. But the Girondins de Bordeaux made me the most concrete offer. Esperance Tunis, Mamelodi Sundowns and another South African club were very interested. My transfer to Bordeaux could not take place due to an injury contracted during the World Cup. Which meant I missed important matches, such as against Ghana, Germany and Senegal. Despite all this, I didn't give up. At the time, José Anigo, who was coach of Esperance Tunis, preferred to buy me even though I was injured. Afterwards, Espérance Tunis took full charge of my treatment, although it was because of the injury that I was unable to sign for Girondins de Bordeaux. My agent at the time was a Togolese. As you know, some agents only see money and at the time I knew nothing about professional football. He told me that my transfer to the Girondins de Bordeaux could not go through because of my injury. I didn't even have more than three months of convalescence. L'Espérance Tunis made me sign, bring a doctor from the United States to do the operation on my fibula. It was a stress fracture in the tibia. Two months later, I resumed training and started competing. In Tunisia, it was very good at the beginning, because I adapted quickly. But, after the change of coach (departure of José Anigo, editor’s note), they let me go.”