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Manchester Evening News
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John McDougall

Amad has told Erik ten Hag what he wanted to hear amid Manchester United return

Amad is back at Manchester United after a successful season in the Championship where fans have truly been able to see his talents on a consistent basis.

The 20-year-old Ivory Coast international spent the 2022/23 campaign away from United. The talented winger headed to Wearside on a season-long loan with Sunderland.

It proved to be a successful season on a personal level for Amad and for the Black Cats. Having been a newly-promoted side, Tony Mowbray led the Stadium of Light club to the Championship play-offs in Sunderland's first season back in the second tier of English football.

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READ MORE: Where United stand with striker options in summer transfer window

And Amad showed what he is capable of in his time on Wearside, becoming a regular for Mowbray's side. Overall, Amad found the back of the net on 14 occasions for the Black Cats.

Amad played in a variety of attacking roles for Sunderland, including attacking midfield, up front, on the right wing and as a second striker.

He has shown his versatility and that is likely to be a trait that Erik ten Hag will appreciate as he mulls over his options for the upcoming season. It remains to be seen whether the Dutchman will opt to keep Amad around at United to challenge for a first-team place, or perhaps send him out on loan again.

Upon joining United in 2021 from Italian side Atalanta, though Amad admitted he prefers to operate on the right flank, he made it clear that he will play in any position his manager wants him to play and is ready for anything. This is likely to be music to Ten Hag's ears.

Speaking to Utd Unscripted in 2021, Amad said: "I play here like I played in Italy. Obviously coaches set up teams in different ways but playing wide-right here, having freedom, having to attack and defend.

"In Italy it is a case of go and attack but then defend and it is the same here. I see myself more as a wide-right player, but I have always said that in football you should never have a preferred position.

"Okay, perhaps you have a preference, but you should be ready for anything. I have played wide left, wide right and I have played through the middle, so all of the positions are the same to me.

"If the coach tells me to play in a specific position, there will be a reason for that. I will not argue, I will just play in that position.

"If I really have to say a favourite position, I would say wide-right, because from there I can dribble and carry the ball deep into the opposition’s half. So I guess it is the position I like best, but I have to be ready for everything."

Where Amad will be playing his football in the coming season will become clearer over the next few weeks. But should he stay at Old Trafford, Ten Hag knows he has an exciting talent who can plug any gap that emerges in the final third.

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