The simple reason Sheffield Wednesday new signing will not be allowed to make his debut against Southampton

The Owls take on the newly-relegated Saints at Hillsborough under the lights at S6 with a team that could include a number of new signings after they took their tally of summer additions to six.

Diaby will not be one of them, though and will have to wait on an opportunity to make his debut at Hull City the following weekend.

The Senegal-born centre-half, who moved to Spain when he was four and has enjoyed spells in Italy and Belgium before stints with Barnsley and Preston North End, will carry over one match of a four-game suspension awarded during his time at Deepdale.

The suspension relates to a 89th-minute incident in Preston’s Championship clash at Swansea City on April 19. It meant he sat out the remainder of their season, which saw them limp to 12th-placed finish with a draw and two defeats.

A mass fracas broke out between players and coaches from both sides and saw red cards awarded to Swans midfielder Joe Allen as well as Preston boss - and former Owl - Ryan Lowe.

Diaby’s role in the incident that led to his suspension was not seen on the night but was dealt with retrospectively by the EFL after footage showed something they ruled to be tantamount to violent conduct.

The defender contested that the sanction was excessive but this was dismissed by an independent regulatory commission.

Posting on Twitter, Diaby expressed his confusion at the decision - which meant he was the only player retrosepctively banned in a brawl involving 30 or more - explaining that he felt ‘a great sense of disbelief and frustration.’