Amad Traore is the type of talent Manchester United should be signing

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A proposed move for Gareth Bale never quite fitted in with Manchester United’s philosophy under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Reports from the MEN that United are looking at Atalanta’s Amad Traore make far more sense.

The report makes very clear that United are not looking at Traore as an alternative to Jadon Sancho. He would be brought in and expected to contribute at his own pace.

Traore is not yet a regular for Atalanta, and at 18, this is more of a potential signing in the Hannibal Mejbri guise, a big talent who can be a future star.

High praise for a talented player

Traore was last year named in Transfermarkt’s Talents Calendar for the best young prospects in world football.

Journalist Aniello Luciano wrote: “Traoré convinces with an explosiveness like an arrow. The list of Traoré’s abilities is overwhelming.”

TV5Monde Africa raved about his Serie A debut goal, and wrote: “Fast as a dragster and precise as a silversmith, the kid only needed six minutes on the pitch, facing Udinese, to open his Italian Serie A counter. In his swift and punchy style worthy of Arjen Robben.”

Teammate Papu Gomez told an Instagram Q&A earlier this year, “He looks like Messi,” HITC reported.

Positive direction

Traore is just a prospect, and he is not an instant answer for the team’s aspirations of closing the gap on Liverpool next season.

But these are the type of young talents United need to gamble on, in order to back up the team’s long term project, rather than an ageing past-it winger on a high salary.

If Traore can fulfil his potential, then in two to three years time he could be a major first team player.

To sign him now for a bargain fee and develop him in-house would put United in a far better position than having to try and buy him for more than £50 million in 2022.

So long as the club do manage to land a Sancho-type talent now as well, a depth signing of Traore could be a very shrewd move.

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