Djibril Soumare: Sheffield United enigma breaks silence on Bramall Lane experience after Stoke City transfer
Djibril Soumaré's season at Sheffield United never truly got going, but the midfielder believes the experience has prepared him for another crack at the Championship with Stoke City.
Former Sheffield United loan man Djibril Soumare has opened up on his “complicated” debut season in English football, after sealing a move to the Blades’ Championship rivals. Soumare has signed for Stoke City after they paid an undisclosed fee to Braga.
The Senegalese midfielder was brought to Bramall Lane by Ruben Selles and when he eventually arrived, after visa delays, Selles was sacked after just six games in charge. Soumare was then in-and-out under Chris Wilder, showing flashes of his potential but never consistently enough to nail down a place.
He and the five other United loanees returned to their parent clubs at the end of the season but Stoke saw enough to pursue a permanent move, landing their man last week and setting up a reunion with the Blades next season.
“Last year was a bit of a complicated season but I take it as a learning season,” the 23-year-old said. “I believe it will help me a lot for the coming year. I feel that I’m ready for it. I believe it’s a competitive league, really competitive, also aggressive, where you have to run a lot.
“I think that last year, at Sheffield United, I learned a lot about the league. This year we will try to do our best. I would say that I’m an aggressive player who likes the ball. I enjoy playing with the ball, playing football, beautiful football, aggressiveness, winning balls and the mentality too.”
Soumare may get an early chance to prove himself against his former club when the Blades travel to Staffordshire on September 19. The return leg at Bramall Lane is pencilled in for February 20.
And he could soon be joined at Stoke by another player with a United connection, in former Manchester United man Ethan Galbraith. The Blades were linked with the midfielder last summer, while he was at Leyton Orient, but he eventually moved to Swansea City for around £1.5m.