Sunderland sporting director Kristjaan Speakman has now shared how he feels Amad Diallo would view a return to the Stadium of Light on loan from Manchester United.
The 20-year-old enjoyed a successful spell at the Championship club for the 2022/23 term after joining them last August. Erik ten Hag allowed Amad to join Sunderland for the season right at the end of the window. He would help the Black Cats reach the play-offs semi-finals.
Amad endured a steady start at the Stadium of Light under Tony Mowbray, who took charge the day before the winger joined. But he would play in 42 of the 59-year-old’s 45 fixtures at the helm. The Ivory Coast talent also registered 14 goals and four assists in all competitions.
Speakman believes Amad would want to re-sign for Sunderland
Sunderland and Mowbray are now preparing for life without Amad after the winger returned to Manchester United from his loan. But Speakman has noted, via quotes by the Sunderland Echo, that he believes the three-cap Ivorian would consider a return to the Stadium of Light.
Speakman explained: “The whole point for Amad was to come here, be successful and go to the next level. Let’s be really clear, he’s a tier-one footballer in the global game.
“There’s a lot of clubs out there, Bundesliga, La Liga, Premier League… that will want to take him. The really nice thing, I think, is that I think he would want to come back. And that says a lot about his experience here and how the fans have taken to him.”
The Sunderland Echo additionally adds that Amad impressed Ten Hag during his loan spell at Sunderland. He is now set to give the youngster his chance to show his worth during the Red Devils’ pre-season. Ten Hag admired the overall quality of Amad’s displays over 22/23.
Ten Hag is set to decide Amad’s future at Manchester United soon
So impressed was Ten Hag, in fact, the Manchester United boss mulled recalling Amad this January. But he opted against taking up the Red Devils’ clause to avoid disrupting the £19m former Atalanta prospect’s progress. It ultimately proved a wise decision given Amad’s form.
But Amad’s role at Old Trafford for the 2023/24 campaign remains unclear. Fabrizio Romano reported earlier in the week that Ten Hag and Manchester United are yet to make a final call on his immediate future. The Red Devils boss will decide Amad’s future in the coming weeks.
Amad hopes he showed enough at Sunderland to get a first-team role at Manchester United under Ten Hag in 23/24. But should the Dutchman feel he needs another loan move for next season, the Abidjan-born talent would prefer a return to the Stadium of Light if it is possible.
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