Amad Diallo had to be patient but he is now becoming a key player for Manchester United.
While it has been a hugely disappointing season for Manchester United, one of the only silver linings has been the impressive form of Amad Diallo.
The 22-year-old has enjoyed his strongest season so far and Bruno Fernandes backed Amad to shine in the Europa League final on Wednesday evening.
Amad has played in two Europa League finals already, and he will hope to finally get his hands on the trophy this week.
Ahead of the Bilbao showpiece, Amad has spoken about the impact that both Erik ten Hag and Ruben Amorim have had on his career.
Photo by James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images
Photo by James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images
Amad Diallo opens up on Erik ten Hag relationship
Amad was signed by United for an initial £19m in 2021, but he had to remain extremely patient before getting his chance as a first-team regular.
When Erik ten Hag arrived as manager, he splashed a jaw-dropping £85m on Antony, which pushed Amad back down the pecking order at Old Trafford.
Amad spent loan spells at Rangers and Sunderland before returning to United and pushing for a first-team spot.
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Ten Hag was criticised for overlooking Amad, especially as big-money signing Antony was underperforming regularly.
Despite being overlooked, Amad was full of praise for Ten Hag in a recent interview with Manchester Evening News.
“Honestly, Erik helped me a lot. He was giving me a lot of advice, even when I wasn’t playing.
“He was telling me to train very hard every time. That’s the most important thing when a manager keeps telling you to train hard, even if you don’t play.
“So I kept training very hard, very hard. I think this season, at the beginning, I was playing a lot with him. I want to thank him again for the opportunity he gave me and I want to wish him all the best.”
Amad Diallo wants to repay Ruben Amorim’s faith
While Amad showed glimpses of brilliance under Ten Hag, he has elevated to a new level since Ruben Amorim was appointed head coach.
Amorim has been full of praise for Amad and his performances this season, both at wing-back and as a No.10.
With Jadon Sancho, Antony and Marcus Rashford all loaned out this season, Amorim put his full faith in Amad to become a star at United – and that he has.
In the same interview as above, Amad spoke highly of his connection with Amorim and his desire to repay his faith.
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“But I think now it’s because the manager believes in me. He believes in my potential. I’m trying to repay his confidence every time I’m on the pitch.”
Amad was in contention for United’s Player of the Year award, and he can end the season on a high if he makes a positive impact in the Europa League final this week.