Manchester United youngster Amad needed a big moment to spark his season into life. Now he has it.
Once he has served his one-match suspension, Amad will look to finish the 2023/24 season strongly for Manchester United.
After scoring 16 goals on loan for Sunderland last season, Amad hoped to kick on this campaign, but his hopes of an immediate impact were dashed after a pre-season injury which saw him sidelined for several months.
He has still not started a game since his return, yet, but he has found a way to make an impact, scoring a sensational winner in United’s 4-3 FA Cup quarter-final win over Liverpool.
Amad cost £19 million
Manchester United signed Amad for £19 million back in 2020, although the deal did not go through until 2021.
A large number of add-ons were included in the deal which could take the deal upwards to £37 million, but right now, we are with the initial figure, due to Amad’s very limited appearances and success.
You could question whether the investment had been worthwhile for United to this point. It has been a slow burn, and Amad has been unlucky.
He has been out on two loan spells, one bad, one good, and played under three different first team managers at Manchester United. There has been no consistency, and just as he was building momentum at the end of last season, injury struck.
Now, and this will be a matter of perspective, some would say the £19 million has been paid back already with Amad’s dramatic winner against Liverpool.
You can’t put a price on emotion, and every fan in attendance at Old Trafford on Sunday would not swap Amad’s winner for the world.
This is a player who has very high potential, which United are still tapping into. If we saw this young winger settle a derby between Real Madrid and Barcelona with an energetic display, and well composed winning goal, we would all agree that £19 million would be a low price to take a gamble on him.
Amad’s next steps at Old Trafford start now. He has earned more opportunities, and he can go on to activate all his add-ons, and allow the £37 million figure to look like a bargain.
Manchester United must find Amad’s best role
Part of the challenge for Manchester United is to find Amad’s best role. He arrived at the club touted as a talented young winger, and he has the traits to play on either side.
But Amad’s best role could be inside, where he could establish himself as Bruno Fernandes‘ long-term replacement.
Amad did a lot of his damage for Sunderland last season playing in central areas, able to get more involved in the game, rather than being on the edges.
His ability to play with both feet and pose a threat, along with his creativity, make him a perfect fit for a central role. And has his goal showed, he has the composure too.
Fernandes is a class act and isn’t going anywhere yet, but he is 29, so United need to look at a succession plan.
This is not a position where United need to invest transfer funds in, these should be used elsewhere; striker, defence, central midfield.
Amad deserves a chance to show he can be Fernandes’ understudy, and Erik ten Hag must start mixing him in.
Then Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray explained this last season, speaking to club media: “He is versatile. I see United games, I watch a lot of football, and Bruno 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.”
Now full of confidence, when Amad returns to action in April, we hope he can use this magical moment against Liverpool as a proper springboard to kick on.