Amad Diallo Confident of Major Role in Upcoming Season
Manchester United’s Amad Diallo is anticipating a season filled with “good things” following “positive conversations” with manager Erik ten Hag regarding his prospects of securing a place in the first team.
Last season, Diallo was limited to just 12 appearances due to a knee injury sustained during the summer tour. The 22-year-old struggled to impress Ten Hag initially, but his extra-time winner against Liverpool in the FA Cup in March marked a turning point.
Diallo has already found the net in a friendly against Rangers this summer and expressed his optimism about the upcoming season while on the club’s preseason tour in the U.S. “We had a conversation, a positive conversation, and he said to me good things,” Diallo shared at a news conference at UCLA on Tuesday. “I believe in the manager. Last season I didn’t play a lot, but I think I will have good things this season. The manager, everyone thinks, is a good guy. I speak with him and he gives me a lot of confidence.”
Since his £33 million move from Atalanta in 2020, Diallo has made just 21 appearances for United, with loan spells at Sunderland and Rangers during his time at Old Trafford. Now, the Ivorian forward feels ready to make a significant impact. “I think everyone wants to play,” he added. “That’s why in the training you need to put everything to fight and start in the XI. We have a good team, good players, so the final one is the manager who decides who is on the pitch and who is on the bench. You need to be ready and everyone is important in the team.”
Diallo has entered the final year of his United contract, though the club has an option to extend it by another year until 2026. The club plans to assess his future in January, but Diallo is clear about his intentions. “I’m very happy here,” he said. “I think everyone is happy with me because I smile with everyone, good energy. Why not stay here all my life?”
As the new season approaches, Diallo’s positive outlook and determination could see him play a pivotal role in Manchester United’s campaign.
