Ruud van Nistelrooy’s second stint at Manchester United may be over, but he has left Ruben Amorim a significant gift. Amad Diallo appears well placed to finally fully kickstart his Old Trafford career.
The Ivorian joined United in January 2021 as an extremely raw 18-year-old from Atalanta, after a deal was agreed at the end of the summer window, alongside moves for the ragtag trio of Edinson Cavani, Facundo Pellistri and Alex Telles.
In the almost four years since, the now 22-year-old winger has played just 37 times for United, and under four different managers (permanent or interim) in the form of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Ralf Rangnick, Erik ten Hag, and Van Nistelrooy.
It has been under the most recent interim that Amad has been given a proper chance to display his obvious talent. It is talent that saw him named 2022/23 PFA Championship Fans’ Player of the Year in a highly successful loan spell at Sunderland and remain a favourite among the United faithful despite injuries and non-selection. That goal against Liverpool also helped, of course.
In the final two games of Van Nistelrooy’s four-game spell in charge, Amad was arguably the Dutchman’s best performer. He scored two brilliant goals against PAOK to give United their first win in Europe in over year, and then provided a delicious backheel assist for Bruno Fernandes’ opener in the 3-0 win against Leicester.
The United legend was effusive in his praise of Amad, making note of his second goal in the Europa League win.
"The second goal had everything in it that is Diallo," Van Nistelrooy said. "He fought to win the ball off the defender, then pushed through to take the shot.
"[He] had the quality to bend it around the goalkeeper. He is a great character and a hard worker. He shows that attitude in every training session.”
It is that all-round play that means Amad is likely to start in Amorim’s first game in charge away to Ipswich on November 24, dovetailing with Fernandes behind a central striker in the Portuguese head coach’s favoured 3-4-3 formation.
He is a different type of winger to Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho, the two players he is battling with for a spot, with a better ability to keep the ball and to link with other players, certainly in the case of the even younger Argentinian.
It is for these reasons, and his recent form, that it feels so strange that Ten Hag barely used him in his final weeks in charge. So too Manuel Ugarte, another player who thrived under van Nistelrooy and one set for a reunion with his former Sporting coach.
Amad’s last two 90 minutes in the Premier League have come in 3-0 wins against newly promoted sides, both of which saw him grab an assist. A repeat would provide Amorim with the dream start, and Amad with a true springboard for his United career.
“I can’t wait to work with him,” said the player on his fifth Old Trafford boss. The feeling might just be mutual.
