- Sunderland manager tells former player, Amad Dialla, he is welcome to return to the club
- Amad played on loan at the Stadium of Light in 2022/23
- The Ivorian has struggled to consistently nailed down a starting spot at Manchester United.
Amad Diallo returns to Sunderland this weekend, for the first time since his loan spell in 2022/23. Regis Le Bris sent a cheeky message to the former fans favourite.
Manchester United are coming to the Stadium of Light for the first time since April 2017. With them will be former Black Cat, Amad, who had an exciting spell with the club whilst they battled it out in the Championship.
The then 20-year-old finished top scorer as the club reached the play-off semi final. Since that spell on loan, the former Atalanta man has been in and out of the first team at Old Trafford.
Injuries have frustrated the youngster, with both knee and ankle injuries impeding his progression. He has, however, often entertained the United faithful when fit.
Is a return to Sunderland a real possibility?
Over the last couple of years, Sunderland have apparently tried numerous times to bring their former loanee back to the club. With the Summer transfer window just around the corners, rumours have started again.
Regarding talk of a return, Le Bris said: “If he wants to play with us, why not? We’ll be happy! But probably not on Saturday.”
“Of course, the managers quote was lighthearted, but is Amad a real option this summer?”
What can Amad bring to the club this time around?
Amad was an important part of the side that made the Championship play-offs a few years back, and would no doubt improve this squad. He could help take the club to the next level next season.
With Wilson Isidor seemingly out the door, and Bertrand Traore yet to sing a new contract, a new attacker is a possibility. The former Rangers man would no doubt return as a automatic fan favourite.
If the club can get the deal done, they should, of course, go ahead with it. Rumours of a fee around the £40-45million mark seem reasonable when factoring in his age, and that he has a contract until 2023.
As Ivory Coast have qualified for the World Cup in North American this summer. many eyes could be on the wide man. Ahead of games against Ecuador and Curaçao sandwiching a tough match against Germany, they have a realistic chance of making the next round.
With this being the case, The club need to look to get a deal over the line sooner rather than later, if they have genuine ambitions of signing him.
Help the push to Europe next season
After a brilliant return to the top flight, and an outside chance of European football possible, Sunderland will be looking to take the next step. The Manchester United man is certainly a player who can do that.
He has European experience, and still only 23, he can be an important part of Le Bris squad for the next few years at least.
It isn’t always the best idea bringing a former favourite back to the club, but at his age, this seems an easy choice for the board to make.
