A recent report suggested that there are just four players deemed to be unsellable this summer at Manchester United, with almost the entire squad at risk of being shown the door, should a suitable offer arrive.
Unsurprisingly – despite recent interest from Saudi Arabia – talismanic captain, Bruno Fernandes is among that select quartet, with the 30-year-old only recently lauded as “one of the top players in the world” by compatriot, Ruben Amorim.
20-year-old wing-back Patrick Dorgu was also named, having only joined the club from Lecce in January, while man of the moment Harry Maguire appears to be another set to stay put, having been described as “perfect” for the 3-4-3 system by his manager.
The final name mentioned on that list was a player who only recently signed a new bumper contract extension, with Amad Diallo committing his future to the club until the summer of 2030.
Previously something of a bit-part player in previous regimes, the returning Ivorian now looks set to be front and centre under Amorim – and deservedly so.
Amad's record under Ten Hag vs under Amorim
There was a feeling that Amad’s chance would never come at Old Trafford, with the former Atalanta wonderkid having actually signed as far back as October 2020, before eventually arriving just a few months.
An inventive header against AC Milan on debut showcased a mere glimpse of why United had forked out an initial fee of £19m, albeit with the then-teenager going on to play just eight games under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s watch.
Sent out on loan to Rangers and then Sunderland, Amad’s subsequent return to the first-team squad was halted by injury on the pre-season tour in 2023, with Erik ten Hag seemingly hesitant to unleash the forward even when he was back to full fitness for the start of 2024.
While last season ended on a high with his first Premier League goal against Newcastle United, having netted the winner in the FA Cup thriller against Liverpool, he never seemingly earned the faith of the Dutchman, having again slipped behind Antony in the attacking pecking order prior to Ten Hag’s dismissal.
Reinvigorated during Ruud van Nistelrooy’s interim spell, which yielded two goals, the £120k-per-week winger has also been a shining light following Amorim’s arrival, having chalked up an assist from wing-back for the first goal of the Portuguese’s tenure against Ipswich Town.
Manager
Games
Goals
Assists
Erik ten Hag
24
3
3
Ruben Amorim
22
7
6
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
8
1
1
Ruud van Nistelrooy
4
2
1
Ralf Rangnick
1
0
0
Michael Carrick
0
0
0
Total
59
13
10
High-profile goals have since followed against the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool, alongside a blistering hat-trick against Southampton, with Sunday’s consolation strike against Brentford marking his 13th goal involvement in just 22 outings under the new boss.
Injury had hampered his progress between February and April, but fit and firing again, Amad will be crucial over the coming weeks, and potentially years.
That said, it is exciting to suggest that an even bigger attacking talent could be on their way to Manchester this summer…
Man Utd could sign an even bigger talent than Amad
The last year or so has marked a real rise for Amad in a United shirt, having stepped into the limelight and stayed there, seemingly unburdened by the pressures that have shackled far too many before him.
A refreshingly positive and front-foot player, the diminutive wideman is a talent that gets the crowd off their feet. The next challenge, however, is to find real consistency, particularly on the Premier League front.
That is a quality that reported summer target, Bryan Mbeumo has showcased in abundance, with the Cameroon international having enjoyed a simply stunning campaign for the Bees in 2024/25.
Recent reports have claimed that the Red Devils are eyeing a potential move for the £60m-rated sensation this summer, with interest also being shown in another shining top-flight talent, Matheus Cunha.
It is Mbeumo, however, who has eclipsed both Cunha and Amad – as indicated below – with the France-born speedster racking up 18 goals and six assists in the league this season. To put that into perspective, not even Marcus Rashford has reached 18 goals in a Premier League campaign in his career so far.
Games
23
30
35
Goals
7
15
18
Assists
6
6
6
Big chances created
5
12
16
Key passes*
1.7
1.8
1.8
Pass accuracy*
85%
79%
74%
Successful dribbles*
1.7
1.9
1.3
Possession lost*
10.8
15.7
17.0
Fouls won*
1.0
2.3
1.2
That record of 16 ‘big chances’ created also outlines just what a weapon Mbeumo has been under Thomas Frank, with not even United’s creative hub, Fernandes, able to better that tally (14), as per Sofascore.
There’s no denying that this has been by far Mbeumo’s best season since Brentford’s promotion, although that’s not to say he hasn’t impressed previously, having registered 67 goals and assists in 140 appearances in the competition – including 18 goals in 2022/23 and 2023/24 combined.
Amad, meanwhile, has just eight goals and eight assists in the Premier League to date – albeit from only 35 games – with Mbeumo something of the benchmark when it comes to the very best that the division has to offer.
Simply “unplayable” on his day, in the words of Frank, the former Troyes man would be a worthy option as a number nine, a number ten or even in a wing-back berth, with the potential there for him to emerge as United’s new attacking figurehead.
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