Harrogate Town remain hopeful that Huddersfield Town's Brahima Diarra will return for second loan spell

Brahima Diarra, left, is encouraged to go and take the applause of Harrogate Town's fans by Sulphurites boss Simon Weaver. Pictures: Matt Kirkham

The highly-rated 19-year-old Frenchman impressed in North Yorkshire during the 2021/22 campaign having joined the Sulphurites from Championship Huddersfield in January.

He made 13 appearances for Simon Weaver’s side, scoring once and providing two assists before his season was cut short by an injury sustained after just 22 minutes of March 12’s 3-0 League Two defeat at Bristol Rovers.

Diarra is currently working his way back to fitness having required surgery on ankle ligament damage suffered at the Memorial Stadium, thus the Terriers are yet to make a decision on whether they want to keep hold of or loan out their gifted attacking midfielder.

Brahima Diarra receives treatment from Harrogate Town physio Rachel Davis after suffering an ankle injury away at Bristol Rovers in early March.

But, Weaver says that he has already held a number of conversations regarding the possibility of bringing Diarra back to Harrogate.

“It is still a possibility. We all love Brahima here, we 100 per cent want him to come back, he was a real fans’ favourite, so exciting,” the Town boss told the Harrogate Advertiser.

“And, Huddersfield know that he was happy with us, he was playing games and he was developing.

“We’ve had conversations with them about Brahima already this summer. But, if anything is to happen there then it will be further down the line because obviously the lad is recovering from injury.

“He’s doing his rehabilitation now and so the timing would have to work out for all parties. And I have to be mindful not to speak out of turn here because he is Huddersfield’s player at the end of the day, so we have to be respectful of whatever they want to do and feel is best.

“The fact that they’re playing in the Championship again this season and not the Premier League might mean that there is now more scope for Brahima to be be involved with their first team. We’ll have to see once he is fit again, but we are trying our hardest.”

Town have build a solid relationship with Huddersfield and, having borrowed both Diarra and fellow midfielder Josh Austerfield from the John Smith’s Stadium last term, Weaver has returned to the Terriers’ Under-23s side for reinforcements once again this summer.

Austerfield is back, and this time he has been joined by left-back Jaheim Headley and attacking midfielder Matty Daly.

But, although Harrogate have already signed three players on loan from the same team, they will still be able to move for Diarra, should his parent club sanction the switch.

“We’re allowed to take four from the same club, so we would still be okay to bring Brahima back further down the line if we get the opportunity,” Weaver added.