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Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has had a successful debut campaign in the Premier League but he will be aware of the need to keep evolving if the biggest prizes are to come in the near future.
The next big challenge for the Dutch boss is to build a strong squad. The current squad options have not proved to be adequate in quite a few areas.
The situation can be rectified using the transfer market as well as by integrating academy players into the squad.
One such player who deserves a crack at establishing himself in the first-team next season is Amad Diallo. The Ivorian has shone during his season-long loan deal with Sunderland in the Championship.
Amad has excelled out on loan
He is the joint top-scorer for the Black Cats with 11 strikes to his name along with three assists in 35 appearances across all competitions.
The Ivory Coast international had recently opened up about his move to United and how it is a dream of his to establish himself as a first-team regular.
The Red Devils could certainly do with Diallo’s skill-set and he could be a worthy competitor for Antony for the right wing spot.
The 20-year-old is also versatile enough to occupy other positions such as the No 10 spot as well as further forward as a support striker.
But United are currently well-stocked in the wing areas with Facundo Pellistri and Anthony Elanga fighting with Jadon Sancho and Antony for the wing position.
Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho are currently out injured but are also capable of occupying the right wing if required.
As Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano pointed out on his YouTube channel, Diallo’s reintegration and subsequent chances will not come as easily as fans would like to believe.
And that is why Ten Hag stopped short of recalling him in January.
“They’re very happy with him at Sunderland, but also I’m told internally that Manchester United they think that the choice to keep the player at Sunderland on loan in January not to recall him.
Amad reintegration will not be straightforward
“Because this was considered as a possibility in January, at the beginning of January for Manchester United.
“But then at the end together with the Erik ten Hag, they decided that the best choice was to let Amad play all the games, be an important player for Sunderland, and then have him back for the pre-season.”
If both Pellistri and Elanga both end up leaving next summer, the former Atalanta’s chances would certainly improve.
The transfer expert also pointed out that Diallo would get pre-season to try and impress Ten Hag who will likely give him half-a-season before deciding on yet another possible loan.
“In the summer, the idea of Manchester United is to decide with Diallo about the future.
“If the best option for him is to stay at Manchester United at least for the first part of the season, for the pre-season and then to see what’s the best way to decide the future or if a loan again could be a possibility.”
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