-Credit:Getty
Sunday’s FA Cup triumph against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium saw Amad step up in a key moment for Manchester United once again, scoring a penalty in their 5-3 shootout triumph.
Signed from Atalanta in January 2021, the Ivorian arrived at Old Trafford with the ambition of making a name for himself in England.
Four years after swapping Atalanta for United, the 22-year-old is beginning to show how good he can be – and it is thanks to the appointment of head coach Ruben Amorim in November.
READ MORE: Manchester United coach Ruben Amorim praises three coaching staff members after Arsenal win
READ MORE: Alejandro Garnacho and two Man United stars send public support to Mason Greenwood
Despite the Portuguese chief only being in the job at Old Trafford for a little over eight weeks, he has given Amad almost 30 per cent of his appearances in a United shirt. Amad is putting himself in the frame to win the club’s Player of the Season award.
After starting the Amorim era as the right-sided wing-back, Amad has operated in one of the No.10 roles in recent weeks, stepping up in big moments, scoring against Manchester City and Liverpool. He is establishing himself as a player for the big occasions.
Amid his recent contributions and performances, Amad has earned himself a new long-term deal at Old Trafford, keeping him at the club until 2030. By his own admission, he has his heart set on staying even longer.
“I’m so happy to extend for five more years,” he said. “I want to be here for a long, long, long time. Not just five more years, but maybe for all my life.”
The fact Amad has had to wait until Amorim’s arrival to get a meaningful run in the team, however, raises questions about the United head coach’s predecessor, Erik ten Hag. The Dutchman was often reluctant to hand opportunities to the versatile Ivorian, handing him just 24 competitive appearances in total.
After a fruitful loan spell at Sunderland in 2022/23, Amad returned to United ahead of the start of the 2023/24 season with ambitions of forcing his way into Ten Hag’s plans. However, a pre-season injury scuppered his plans and left him sidelined until December 2023.
Erik ten Hag (centre) often overlooked Amad. -Credit:Charlotte Wilson/Offside/Offside via Getty Images.
Amad regularly made the bench after returning but was rarely turned to by Ten Hag. It remains baffling that the former United boss handed a start to Omari Forson on the right-flank ahead of the former Sunderland man in February last year.
But to Amad’s credit, he kept his head down and worked hard, eventually earning the minutes he deserved towards the end of the campaign. He was excellent in pre-season, starring on the tour of the United States, but still Ten Hag refused to give him the meaningful run of starts he deserved, naming him in his starting XI in just four of the nine Premier League matches he oversaw this season before being sacked on October 28.
In contrast, Amad has started nine of Amorim’s opening 13 games at the helm. Had Ole Gunnar Solskjaer remained United manager a little longer, the winger’s Old Trafford career might have taken off even sooner.
“Manchester United has such a proud history of developing young players and everything is in place to enable Amad to reach his potential here,” said Solskjaer, speaking in January 2021. “It will take time for him to adapt but his speed, vision and fantastic dribbling ability will stand him in good stead to make the transition.
“He is a player with all of the raw attributes that are needed to be an important player for Manchester United in the years to come.”
Solskjaer was right. Amad was always going to need time. United signed him at the age of 18, adding him to their squad with one eye on the future.
Amad has stepped up for Manchester United in huge moments. -Credit:Carl Recine/Getty Images.
However, he was first-team ready in the second half of last season and Ten Hag continued to overlook him, likewise at the start of this season. His omission often left supporters baffled.
By tying him down until 2030, United evidently plan for him to become the ‘important player’ Solskjaer predicted. He most definitely has Amorim’s backing.