Full name Adama Traoré Diarra Playing position Weight 72 kg | Number 37 Nationality Spanish Height 1.78 m | |
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Date of birth (1996-01-25) 25 January 1996 (age 21) Siblings Mohamed Traoré Diarra, Assa Traore Adama Similar Adam Forshaw, Marten de Roon, Gastón Ramírez, Adam Clayton, Ben Gibson | ||
Adama Traoré Diarra (born 25 January 1996), known simply as Adama, is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a winger for Premier League club Middlesbrough.
Contents
- Barcelona
- Aston Villa
- Middlesbrough
- International career
- Style of play
- Personal life
- Career statistics
- Club
- Individual
- References
He started his career with Barcelona, appearing mainly for the reserves. In 2015 he signed with Aston Villa, and a year later Middlesbrough.
Adama represented Spain at under-16, under-17 and under-19 levels.
Barcelona
Born in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Catalonia to Malian parents, Adama joined FC Barcelona's youth setup in 2004 at the age of eight, after a brief period with neighbouring CE L'Hospitalet. In 2013 he was promoted to the B-team, and made his professional debut on 6 October in a 1–0 away defeat against SD Ponferradina for the Segunda División championship.
On 9 November 2013, Adama came on as a half-time substitute but was sent off for conceding a penalty in a 3–0 loss to Real Jaén CF at the Mini Estadi. Two weeks later, Adama played his first La Liga game at the age of only 17, replacing Neymar late on in the 4–0 home win over Granada. Three days later he made his first appearance in the UEFA Champions League, coming on for Cesc Fàbregas in the 82nd minute of a 2–1 loss at Ajax for the group stage. Adama also featured for Barcelona's Under-19 side in the inaugural UEFA Youth League, playing five times and scoring twice as they won the trophy.
Adama scored his first goal for the Blaugrana's main squad on 16 December 2014, playing 16 minutes and contributing to an 8–1 home demolition of SD Huesca in the Copa del Rey.
Aston Villa
On 14 August 2015, Adama joined Premier League club Aston Villa on a five-year deal for a reported £7 million (€10 million) that could rise to €12 million, with Barcelona inserting a three-year buy-back clause in his contract. He made his debut eight days later against Crystal Palace, and his cross led to an own goal from Pape Souaré eight minutes after he had entered the game as a substitute for Carlos Sánchez. He scored his first goal three days later, the team's first of a 5–3 home win over Notts County in the League Cup second round.
Adama came on as a second-half substitute for the last-placed Villans away to relegation rivals Sunderland on 2 January 2016, and via a counter-attack he assisted compatriot Carles Gil's aerial volley equalizer. He was later replaced himself through injury, as his team lost 3–1. Following that game, he was dropped from the team due to indiscipline, as the season ended with relegation.
Middlesbrough
On 31 August 2016, Adama signed with Premier League team Middlesbrough on a four-year deal, under compatriot manager Aitor Karanka. He made his debut on 10 September 2016, in a 2–1 home loss to Crystal Palace, replacing Cristhian Stuani for the final nine minutes.
International career
On 17 February 2014, the Mali Football Federation reported that Adama and his older brother Mohamed had decided to represent Mali at senior level. However in an interview with BBC Sport in October 2015, Adama stated that he was still considering his international options.
Style of play
Tim Sherwood, Adama's manager at Villa, compared him to both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, saying he had "a bit" of both. Catherine Wilson of ESPN FC credited his "athleticism", though also remarked that his "footballing brain and teamwork skills are definitely up for debate".
Personal life
Adama's older brother, Moha, is also a footballer.