‘Forgotten’ Man Utd star tipped to ‘replace Sancho’ with Ten Hag ‘set’ to sanction first-team ‘return’

Manchester United winger Amad Diallo is reportedly set to play a big role for the Premier League giants in the coming weeks as he returns from injury.

The Red Devils invested around £19m to sign Diallo from Serie A outfit Atalanta during the 2021 January transfer window.

Regarded as one of the best young players in the world, Diallo signed for Man Utd after only making a couple of senior appearances for the Italian side.

After being used sparingly by Man Utd, Diallo was one of the Championship’s standout players in 2022/23 while with Sunderland on loan. He grabbed 14 goals and three assists for the Black Cats as they ended up in the play-offs.

Diallo returned to Man Utd ahead of this campaign and he was likely to be given an opportunity by Erik ten Hag this season but he suffered a serious knee injury during pre-season.

Without Diallo, Ten Hag has been short of options out wide and he is not being helped by the ongoing Jadon Sancho situation.

The England international has not played for Man Utd since August and he is expected to leave the Premier League giants in January amid interest from former club Borussia Dortmund. 

Football Insider are now reporting that Man Utd ‘forgotten man’ Diallo is ‘primed to replace Sancho’. Regarding his imminent return, the report explains.

‘Man United forgotten man Amad Diallo is set to return to the first team at Old Trafford. The 21-year-old has only just returned to senior training at United after suffering a serious knee injury in pre-season.

‘It is believed that Erik ten Hag is keen to take a look at Diallo in action for his side in the coming weeks as the January transfer window approaches.

‘However, if he can’t break into the first-team set-up under Ten Hag – it is believed another loan exit for Diallo could be sanctioned in January.’

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Earlier this year, club legend Rio Ferdinand indicated that Diallo is capable of solving Man Utd’s “problem position” on the right flank.

“He is an interesting one. He has got talent there is no doubting that. You can see the talent he has got but you can see he wasn’t robust enough at the time,” Ferdinand said via his Vibe with Five podcast.

“But that loan at Sunderland, he left that place a hero, an absolute god. He plays on the right hand side too, a problem position for us.

“I know Antony has come in and done well but he is someone you can look at and say can he add something a bit different. I would like to see him given another opportunity. There is a bit of unfinished business and I don’t know if he’s not good enough, not right for Man United or he is [good enough] because I haven’t seen enough.”