Huddersfield Town's Brahima Diarra extremely unlikely to rejoin Harrogate Town for second loan spell

Brahima Diarra with Harrogate Town manager Simon Weaver. Pictures: Matt Kirkham

The League Two Sulphurites have been in regular dialogue with the Championship Terriers over the course of the summer regarding their highly-rated, 19-year-old attacking midfielder.

But Weaver has accepted that he will likely have to admit defeat in his quest to re-sign the Frenchman - for now - with the summer transfer window due to shut at 11pm on Thursday.

“You never know, but in terms of this transfer window, it’s very unlikely that we will be able to get Brahima back. It looks a long shot now,” he told the Harrogate Advertiser.

Brahima Diarra made 13 appearances for Harrogate Town during his 2021/22 loan from Championship outfit Huddersfield Town.

“He’s a player who we really like and someone who we’ve had plenty of conversations with Huddersfield about this summer. They’re certainly aware that we would like him to return on loan. We’ve made that clear, but at the moment I can’t see it happening.

“They know that he was happy here, he was playing games and he was developing and doing well. If they decide at some point that the lads needs to go out on loan again, then we’re hopeful that this stands us in good stead.

“We’d be overjoyed to have Brahima back, but they might decide that he’s better off staying there or that he needs a loan higher than League Two.”

Paris-born Diarra impressed in North Yorkshire during the second half of the 2021/22 campaign having arrived at Wetherby Road in January.

He made 13 appearances for Harrogate, scoring once and providing two assists before his season was cut short by an injury sustained early on in March 12’s 3-0 defeat at Bristol Rovers.

And, although he doesn’t appear to be heading back to the EnviroVent Stadium imminently, Town remain hopeful that he could still yet return at some point further down the line.

The Sulphurites enjoy a healthy working relationship with Huddersfield and, having borrowed both Diarra and fellow midfielder Josh Austerfield from the John Smith’s Stadium last term, Weaver 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, with all three having been regular starters so far during 2022/23.