Amad Diallo | Sunderland Loan Watch

As much as I enjoy seeing an academy star break through to the first team squad, I do quite like ETH setting the bar high for players and therefore saying he won't just hand out games to kids and that they have to earn it through effort and ability.

Garnacho is proof that they can earn it under ETH, but the lack of playing time for any of the others suggests they pretty much have to be almost a generational talent to establish themselves. That does make it very hard for even the quite talented ones like Pellistri and Amad.

I do think Amad, Mainoo and Hannibal have the potential to make it to the first team squad, so would be a little disappointed if they didn't get some kind of genuine opportunity to try and establish themselves. But I guess it depends on who keeps them out. If we make good signings, and our squad is made up of top level players, like City, then I can understand the bar being very high for any kid looking to break into it. But if squad positions are taken up by some of the relatively average quality of our back up players of recent years, then I don't think the bar is that high for the likes of Amad being given an opportunity to break into it.

I see both Amad and Mainoo having careers here. Unfortunately as much as I like Hannibal, I see him leaving us before realising his potential.
 
Ten Hag is not the proponent of youth that everyone thinks he is. The reality is that those three will either be permanently benched again or loaned out or just sold.

If they continue to develop and show that they're good enough to play for us, they'll get a chance, as all of our managers have demonstrated (Garnacho, Greenwood, Rashford - each one of them a standout example to show that if you're good enough and physically ready, you can get loads of first team football here even at 18). If they're not good enough, they'll be loaned out or sold, and that's exactly how it should be. I'm thinking that's what'll happen to Pellistri this summer.

I'm pretty sure we'll see Amad stay here next season. Amad, Sancho, Antony, Rashford and Garnacho is a great set of options for the wide positions, and they'll all get plenty of game time.
 
Can he play as an 8? Being linked with Mason makes me wonder if Amad could be his backup. Antony and Sancho are good for the RW. Rashford and Garnacho for the LW.

Casemiro/Rabiot

Mount/Amad - Bruno/Eriksen
 
A lot of clubs sniffing around him right now including us. Apparently Fulham are interested in Gray so if we could get him out on a fee and replace him with Diallo on loan that would be decent business.
 
A lot of clubs sniffing around him right now including us. Apparently Fulham are interested in Gray so if we could get him out on a fee and replace him with Diallo on loan that would be decent business.
Wouldn't be a terrible loan move for Diallo I'd imagine but since you have a better perspective on how the Everton squad is looking, do you think he'd get a decent amount of minutes?
 
I don't see how he would suit the type of football Dyche's teams play.
 
Wouldn't be a terrible loan move for Diallo I'd imagine but since you have a better perspective on how the Everton squad is looking, do you think he'd get a decent amount of minutes?
If Gray left then yeah. It honestly depends on other summer movements though. I think we are probably going to sell Onana to fund our window.
 
A lot of clubs sniffing around him right now including us. Apparently Fulham are interested in Gray so if we could get him out on a fee and replace him with Diallo on loan that would be decent business.

Not sure how beneficial it would be for Amad to play under a Dyche-style game. He'll need to play in a more possession-oriented style to add to his education.
 
I don't see how he would suit the type of football Dyche's teams play.
Not sure how beneficial it would be for Amad to play under a Dyche-style game. He'll need to play in a more possession-oriented style to add to his education.

I think it will depend on the window in terms of that style though. I feel like Dyche does have a set high press,direct counter attacking style but I also feel like he does want to change that slightly and add more elements to it in terms of having more possession but needs a squad capable of doing that. I wouldn't be surprised if he tries to evolve it through signings. I equally wouldn't be surprised if he sticks to what he knows.

Also, the little I saw of Diallo at Sunderland, he looked like he enjoyed doing what McNeil does for us which is cutting inside and curling one into the top corner. Having both of them out wide would be pretty nice.
 
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I think it will depend on the window in terms of that style though. I feel like Dyche does have a set high press,direct counter attacking style but I also feel like he does want to change that slightly and add more elements to it in terms of having more possession but needs a squad capable of doing that. I wouldn't be surprised if he tries to evolve it through signings. I equally wouldn't be surprised if he sticks to what he knows.

Also, the little I saw of Diallo at Sunderland, he looked like he enjoyed doing what McNeil does for us which is cutting inside and curling one into the top corner. Having both of them out wide would be pretty nice.

I think in a counter-attacking scheme Amad will struggle. And will look like Sancho Mk II.

He has some pace to burn ... but I have only seen him apply that once and it did surprise me!! But thats not really his game.
 
I think in a counter-attacking scheme Amad will struggle. And will look like Sancho Mk II.

He has some pace to burn ... but I have only seen him apply that once and it did surprise me!! But thats not really his game.

Neither does McNeil, he looked like he was running through mud at times for us but when Dyche came in was brilliant.
 
Neither does McNeil, he looked like he was running through mud at times for us but when Dyche came in was brilliant.

The main thing for Amad at this stage of his career is playing time and furthering his education. If Dyche is willing to offer him that, great. I just dont need him to be put in a situation like he had with Giovanni Van Bronkhorst, who basically binned him after a few games.
 
Sunderland sporting director Kristjaan Speakman:

“I’m so happy Amad sat in here at the end of the season with me and Tony [Mowbray] and had a vibrant smile on his face.

”He loved it. Naturally, that’s what we want.

“Can Amad return to Sunderland? I don’t think so. He should be playing in tier one, in England, La Liga, Bundesliga, wherever. That’s the level of player he is.

“The staff here, the players and supporters have helped him get back on that journey and hopefully that will attract more players to want to come to Sunderland.”
 
Sunderland sporting director Kristjaan Speakman:
Definitely think that we should be giving Sunderland/Mowbray the pick of our young talents for the foreseeable. They did a great job with Amad, and seemed to actually care about his development rather than just running him into the ground like a rental car.
 
Sunderland sporting director Kristjaan Speakman:

Hard to think of a better loan deal for us. We really should send them good young players in the area of their team's weakness, they should get good enough game time.
 
It was a fantastic loan, I just hope he’s given a fair chance here next season and Mount doesn’t block his opportunities.
 
Anyone reckon we could offer him back to Atalanta for a season in exchange for more favourable terms on Hojlund deal?
 
As a right winger? Not sure. It is a big step up and I doubt he would have the same impact as Garnacho
I’d say they’re both around the same level for talent. Garnacho is faster and better equipped for that direct offensive role, but Amad is better technically more suited playing as a wide playmaker.
 
I’d say they’re both around the same level for talent. Garnacho is faster and better equipped for that direct offensive role, but Amad is better technically more suited playing as a wide playmaker.
Have not seen him enough but if he is as good as you claim he will get plenty of game time
 
Amad is a very misunderstood player. The kid is a natural baller. Everything he does is so natural… ball control, passing, striking the ball etc. His touch is as Messiesque as you’ll see. There’s not much you can teach him except role in the team. He’s always scored a hatful of goals all through the development stages even his serie a debut and the few games he played for us except Rangers where they didn’t know how to use him. At Sunderland he wasn’t scoring the first 9 games until the coach told him he wanted him to score more so he was just trying to be too unselfish. He is definitely better than antony as he can comfortably go both left or right, decision making is better as well as passing and scoring. I have no doubt he will bench Antony on the right.
 
Amad is a very misunderstood player. The kid is a natural baller. Everything he does is so natural… ball control, passing, striking the ball etc. His touch is as Messiesque as you’ll see. There’s not much you can teach him except role in the team. He’s always scored a hatful of goals all through the development stages even his serie a debut and the few games he played for us except Rangers where they didn’t know how to use him. At Sunderland he wasn’t scoring the first 9 games until the coach told him he wanted him to score more so he was just trying to be too unselfish. He is definitely better than antony as he can comfortably go both left or right, decision making is better as well as passing and scoring. I have no doubt he will bench Antony on the right.

Agree with 98%of what you said. The only thing I would differ with is Amad replacing Antony -- certainly not in the short run. It will not be politically expedient if ETH drops Antony -- one of United's most expensive signings -- after a season. It was ETH's more important signing last summer and if he doesn't have that patience then why would Arnold trust him with another big signing?

At best if he stays he can get maybe 10 starts which may not be good for his progression/development -- and we can't compare him to an impact sub like a Garnashers. Amad is a playmaker. The only way I see it (for more games) is he is a squad depth for a wide playmaker and winger -- like Mason Mount being depth for a no 10 and a 8.
 
Amad is a very misunderstood player. The kid is a natural baller. Everything he does is so natural… ball control, passing, striking the ball etc. His touch is as Messiesque as you’ll see. There’s not much you can teach him except role in the team. He’s always scored a hatful of goals all through the development stages even his serie a debut and the few games he played for us except Rangers where they didn’t know how to use him. At Sunderland he wasn’t scoring the first 9 games until the coach told him he wanted him to score more so he was just trying to be too unselfish. He is definitely better than antony as he can comfortably go both left or right, decision making is better as well as passing and scoring. I have no doubt he will bench Antony on the right.

Disagree with the Antony part, I still see Antony as the better player currently, that might change in the future, but for now, Antony is the best RW/RM in the club and I expect to see a lot more from him in the next season, and I am of the opinion of giving Amad a chance with the first team to compete with Antony and cover other areas like AM maybe, Amad, as you aptly described him, is very talented and capable and he at the very least deserves a chance to be coached by EtH and be slowly integrated into the squad.
 
If he doesn’t get a chance this season then what’s the point of keeping him?

He did well in the Championship last season, toughened up and really improved and influenced.

Don’t think he will want to be loaned out again - he wants to fight for a place at Utd. Remember we paid something like £30m for this boy. He has 2 years + 1 left on his contract.
 
Not really. We know that Bruno can play there already (wide play-maker) and now Mason.
Mason is probably out of picture but I do agree about the general point, Antony/Bruno/Sancho is enough for right wing and as much as I'd love Amad to just take this position from Antony, I think we should consider giving Amad another season on loan.

Right wing is the easiest position to play at United because the center of gravity is leaning left as that's where Rashford/Shaw and now Mount will play. For this reason right side naturally gets much more space. But that comes with defensie duties so I can see why ETH was so desperate to get Antony.