Amad Diallo hopes his winner that knocked Liverpool out of the FA Cup in March can propel him to join Kobbie Mainoo, Alejandro Garnacho and Rasmus Højlund in a youthful quartet that will be key to Manchester United’s future.
Amad came off the United bench in added time of extra-time at Old Trafford and gave United a memorable 4-3 quarter-final win over Liverpool. It was only the 22-year-old’s fourth appearance of the season, with part of his campaign being disrupted by an injury. Yet Amad finished the 2023-24 campaign strongly, playing eight more times.
The Ivorian winger was asked about the finish, which was executed after an impressive run. “I have watched it back so many times,” he said. “That goal was the most important goal of my life. I was very happy to score that. Even now, I can’t believe it. After that I was confident and at the end the manager started to believe in me and play me more.”
Under Erik ten Hag last season, the 19-year-old Mainoo, Garnacho, who is now 20, and Højlund, 21, formed an impressive young nucleus. Amad, who turned 22 in July, wants to become a fourth member of this young first-team group and he believes all four can be major footballers for the team.
“I hope so,” he said. “The manager believes in all of these players. He brought Garnacho in two years ago, gave him a lot of game time, Kobbie last season, and this season he [may] bring another young academy player. The manager believes a lot in young players and I hope this season he will give me a lot of game time but it’s for me to prove myself in training and to start in the team.
“I think the relationship is strong between us because of us being young,” Amad, who scored in United’s 2-0 friendly win over Rangers at Murrayfield in July, added.
“I have a good relationship with all players [at United] but I have a lot more of a relationship with these ones than others. Rasmus is a good guy, also [having played for] Atalanta like me. Kobbie is a beautiful guy so I’m happy to be part of that team.”
Amad has mainly been used by Ten Hag on the right, but would be equally happy to play in the middle or on the left. “My first position was No 10 when I was at Atalanta,” he said. “After that, a right winger, but I can play No 10, left winger, I can play everywhere in the forward line – I’m ready to play every single position.”
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After losing 2-1 to Arsenal in Los Angeles on Sunday, United continue their pre-season preparations against Real Betis in San Diego on Wednesday evening.
