Amad’s loan spell at Sunderland is turning out to be a shrewd move by Manchester United, as the winger continues to impress in the Championship.
His last six matches have seen him score four goals and provide an assist, with the technical dribbler finally forcing his way into Tony Mowbray’s side after a difficult start.
And the manager has lavished praise on the Ivorian, in particular for adding a more direct goal threat to him game.
Mowbray even went as far as to say that Amad was currently keeping the Championship’s most talented player out of his team.
“In my opinion, Patrick [Roberts] is probably the most talented footballer in this league, yet I have to sit him down in my office and [tell him] he’s not playing,” said Mowbray. “’Why am I not playing if you think I’m that talented?’
“‘Well, because this kid assists and scores goals Pat, and with total respect, you scored two amazing goals away at Reading this season and you’ve had some assists, but Diallo’s on fire at the moment and he plays in the same position as you’.
“It’s amazing to think Patrick is sitting on the bench. yet Amad’s goals and assists are keeping him out at the moment.”
Roberts – previously of Manchester City – may or may not be the most talented player in the Championship. But it is a mark of the trust that Amad has earned that Mowbray is picking him over a player he believes to be so.
Signed in January 2021, many United fans have been somewhat unimpressed with his overall development.
Aside from the flashes of talent in a couple of dead-rubber matches under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Amad has not made much of an impact at first-team level.
But that could soon be ready to change, with his teammates also noticing his improvement in recent months.
“Amad has had his own journey,” midfielder Alex Pritchard told the Sunderland Echo. “I watch football all the time and you see where he’s been previously.
“Coming here I don’t think he had much game time at Rangers, and it was one of them he’s come to Sunderland and needs to play games and affect games.
“That’s what he’s doing at the moment so long may that continue.
“The boy is still young and has a big price tag on his head but that’s not his problem, it’s out of his hands.
“He’s a down to earth lad, he obviously works hard, and you can see his qualities on the ball during the game. You never know where he could go.”
Former Black Cats defender Danny Collins even compared Amad to one-time Sunderland entertainer and Ireland star Aiden McGeady.
“He is a joy to watch,” Collins said on Sunderland TV. “He is looking for me like Aiden McGeady, isn’t he?
“When Aiden was in his confident mood he was getting on the ball out wide and you were on the edge of your seat thinking, “What is going to happen here now?”
“Same with Amad for me. How old is he again? He’s probably 20 or 21, but he has matured beyond his years in terms of mentality.
“Listen, he went to Manchester United for 30-odd million quid and he has come here now. I am not saying he has come here as if he has to prove himself, because you can see there is a good player in there, but he has come here and he knows he is playing for a big club, certainly at this level.
“For me, it is like he wants to be the star of the show playing in an arena like this.
“Give me the ball and let me show you what I have got in the bag. Look at the tools I have and what I can produce and he is doing week in and week out for us.”
Having finally put his ill-fated loan spell at Rangers behind him, Amad is showing that he has both the quality and application to take his game to the next level.
And at just 20 years of age, he certainly has time on his side.
