Cheick Diabate, born on 21 January 2002 (age 24), is an English central defender whose senior career has been shaped above all by his time at St Johnstone. A commanding 6ft 4in (1.92m), he has been used primarily through the middle of the back line and wears the number three shirt.
St Johnstone has given Diabate the clearest platform of his career. Across two league seasons he has made 43 appearances and scored five goals, which is a decent return for a centre-half without needing to pretend it makes him a striker in disguise.
His strongest league campaign came in 2025-26, when he scored four times in 34 appearances. In 2026-27, he has added nine league appearances and one goal, keeping him involved as a regular part of the side.
Diabate’s career to date is a St Johnstone story: a tall English defender establishing himself in Perth, with 43 league games and five goals marking the substance of his senior work so far.
