Man Utd's January plan for Amad Diallo

Tom Weber

Updated: 6 Nov 2024 15:41 GMT
4 min read

Manchester United want to have Amad Diallo's contract extension sealed by January, according to a report.

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The Red Devils are planning to tie the Ivorian to the club long-term. Man Utd still rate Amad highly despite the fact that he has yet to really come into his own.

After several loan stints and an injury-ravaged 2023/24 campaign, the winger looked to finally be on the verge of nailing down a regular spot in the side at the start of the season as then-manager Erik ten Hag appeared to have, at last, given up on Antony.

After a while, however, the Dutchman increasingly favoured other options over Amad, including Antony, and the 22-year-old found himself on the bench again.

Ten Hag's treatment of the erstwhile wonderkid did not endear him to Man Utd's squad, but with the manager now gone, Amad has been given some fresh hope of becoming a regular.

Man Utd's Amad plan

It is unclear how new head coach Ruben Amorim will line up his Man Utd team after taking the reins given that it is not a squad tailored to a back-three system.

The Portuguese could perhaps seek to mould Amad into more of a wing-back. Either way, Man Utd are convinced that the Ivorian will be a big part of the club's future.

Talks over a new deal have been ongoing for some time and, according to Graeme Bailey, the Red Devils are trying to get his fresh contract sealed before the winter window opens.

Amad would be out of contract next summer, but Man Utd fans need not be afraid should negotiations drag on as the club still has a one-year option which could be triggered to prevent him from being able to negotiate with other sides in January.

“Obviously they’ve been talking since the summer and hope to get it done by January. I think there’s a real confidence he will sign, the club rate him very highly," Bailey told United in Focus.

“They may take up the option just to get him through until the summer, but they will not be taking the option against Diallo’s wishes. He wants to stay, he wants a new deal and when you have everybody pulling in the same direction, it does lean towards him signing a new deal.

"Ideally it would have been done by now, but I don’t think it’ll be a major issue.”