Amad is hoping to kick on at Manchester United next season, but before that the young winger is targeting promotion after coming within one goal of his pre-season aim on loan at Sunderland.
The Ivorian international joined United in a multi-million pound move from Atalanta in 2020, but has made just nine senior appearances for his parent club. After a loan move to Rangers last season saw him score three times for the Europa League finalists, he has played more and scored more for Sunderland this season.
United manager Erik ten Hag has shown a willingness to trust youngsters, with the likes of Alejandro Garnacho and Facundo Pellistri getting minutes under the Dutchman. 20-year-old Amad hopes to do the same, and Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray has tipped him for the top, even making comparisons with current United star Bruno Fernandes.
"He can play wide, he can play inside, he can play deep," Mowbray told MUTV of the loanee. "I think he can play centre-midfield for us in the Championship, you know. Just give him the ball and he very rarely loses it. Yet we generally put [Patrick] Roberts really wide and play Amad just inside him.
"We’ve had huge success down the right-hand side of the pitch with those two linking and playing with each other, people running off the back of the two of them and sliding people in. It’s very profitable for us. He is versatile.
"I see United games, I watch a lot of football, and Bruno [Fernandes] plays a bit of everywhere, off the right sometimes, inside as a 10 or as a running 8, he can play deep and link the midfield up. Amad is a similar type of footballer."
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Amad set himself a target of 10 goals ahead of the season, but is already on nine. Sunderland still have eight games to play in which he can reach that goal, while a seven-point gap to the play-off spots isn't impossible to make up.
"The club has a big history," he told club media.. "It was in the Premier League before and I hope it goes to the Premier League next season. The staff, the club, the players all have a lot of confidence in me and I do my best on the pitch to repay the confidence from the club.
"My objective here at the start of the season was to score 10 goals. Now I want to score more goals. But I have another objective which is to take this team into the Premier League because I know it will be difficult, but I always tell myself nothing is impossible."
