Amad is the toast of Manchester United at the moment and rightly so, having emerged as the talisman of Ruben Amorim’s side in every win so far.
It started with Ruud van Nistelrooy’s interim spell and since then Amad’s play has made Erik ten Hag look more and more questionable in his management of the Ivorian.
With his contract expiring next summer (United hold an option to extend it by a year), the breakout has been timed perfectly by the player.
Amorim likes him, he’s enjoying himself at Old Trafford, he’s a fan favourite who’s earned the trust of his teammates, and Amad’s importance to the team is ever-increasing.
All that points to the club reaching an agreement for Amad’s contract extension in quick time but there needs to be a pause and assess the situation needed from Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
Man Utd’s big problem inherited by Sir Jim Ratcliffe
To name every problem inherited by Ineos at Old Trafford would be a novel instead of an article but there is one problem that has branched into many sub-issues.
United haven’t been able to sell players well but even that issue is not a standalone one. It stems from potentially interested clubs not being able to match United’s wages for the players.
It is why the likes of Anthony Martial left on a free transfer after years of taking home millions per month and why United will find it difficult to shift Marcus Rashford.
The list of players United have thrown effectively a blank cheque at after a select few good performances, only to be saddled with that albatross for the next five years is excruciatingly long.
Along with Martial, Brandon Williams left this summer upon the expiry of the contract he signed under Ed Woodward when he had barely managed to dislodge an injured Luke Shaw for a few games back in 2019.
That £50k/week contract on the back of a few good performances was only off the books entirely when the length expired, with no club taking it on fully on a permanent deal.
Other examples include David de Gea, Jadon Sancho, and Phil Jones, and that’s just the last two years!
The biggest issue at Man Utd is simple. The club needs to realign the wage structure to not only save money at the right place when many at the lower end of the pole at the club are losing their jobs but to future-proof themselves.
So, does that mean Amad shouldn’t be given a new contract? Far from it. His extension should be top priority for the club but Sir Jim Ratcliffe needs to make a tough decision.
Amad’s contract extension
Talks with Amad are underway for a contract extension and Ineos need to follow their summer transfer playbook to reach an agreement.
The ownership reportedly offered heavily incentivised contracts with a lower basic wage to new signings that solve two issues at once.
If the incentives are being hit, then it naturally means the player is successful in which case the higher wage is fully deserved.
If they aren’t, then United aren’t saddled with a wage that doesn’t justify the output of the player on the pitch. Amad has shown that he can be reliable when it comes to goals and assists.
However, what is not known so far is how he reacts to a big contract and if the drive and determination remains the same as it is now when he’s on an expiring one.
Therefore, the best case scenario for United would be to not allow themselves to flow into fan-filled euphoria and take a firm stance on Amad’s contract. Ruben Amorim has already warned people to not overhype him and let him keep his feet on the ground.
A pay rise, definitely, but not to an extent that his purple patch of less than ten games doesn’t warrant. It’s time to fix this issue at United.
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