Manchester United youngster Alejandro Garnacho has been incredibly impressive this season already, scoring two matchwinners for the senior team.
Garnacho’s development and rise has been rapid, with the Argentine seizing his first team opportunity.
Not all players enjoy the same swift development, and there are often hurdles along the way. Manchester United fans remember Federico Macheda making an immediate impact, and then being unable to follow it up.
Some taken longer to break through entirely. Jesse Lingard scored the winner in the FA Cup final in 2016, only after loan spells at four different Championship clubs.
Even David Beckham had a spell on loan at Preston before catapulting himself to stardom in 1996 with his halfway line goal against Wimbledon.
The point is, young players can develop at a different pace, but ultimately, if they are good enough, they will make it. And this is an encouraging takeaway for winger Amad.
Amad can follow Garnacho in 2023
Amad has already shown signs he can produce for Manchester United’s first team. He scored in the Europa League against AC Milan, and provided a Premier League assist against Leicester City.
This impact came at the end of the 2021 season. Since then he has struggled to carve out a place, due to a combination of injury bad luck and a need to refine his game and develop physically. A loan at Rangers didn’t help as much as United would have hoped.
Amad did score one goal under Erik ten Hag in pre-season, and also provided an assist. The quality is there. Ultimately United felt another loan was in his best interests.
In recent weeks Amad has begin making real progress on his loan spell. He has three goals and one assist in his last five matches.
Still only 20, Amad can still make it at Manchester United. Facundo Pellistri has been unable to win Erik ten Hag over, and is expected to be sold.
Amad will return next summer for another chance, and can be Manchester United’s back-up or alternative to Antony on the right wing.
The youngster has already offered some hope he can produce at Old Trafford, he just needs patience. It’s far too early to write him off, his potential is still incredible.
His goal in Sunderland’s last game was outstanding and had his manager Amad gushing after the game. Tony Mowbray told The Chronicle: “”He’s an amazing footballer. Somebody said he cost £37m from Atalanta when he joined Manchester United, so I find it difficult to think how he is at Sunderland, but probably the pressure of playing in front of a big crowd and he relishes it.
“He can run all day and he has the ball stuck to his foot, he runs past people and he can score goals like that. We’re delighted he’s here with us.”
Amad’s confidence is being rebuilt at Sunderland, and he should return to Manchester United next summer ready to fulfil his potential. Erik ten Hag could really enjoy working with him, and observing the progress he has made.
Next season we could see Amad and Alejandro Garnacho lining up on the wings for United in certain matches. It would not be a surprise to see him grab his second chance in a similar fashion to the Argentine.
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