Amad has fulfilled Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United ambition during Sunderland loan

Amad’s latest goal for Sunderland is perhaps the best of his 14 strikes for the Black Cats this season.

The forward bent home a fabulous effort from a free-kick to see the Championship club level their semi-final play-off first leg against Luton Town before playing a role in the build-up for the winner in the 2-1 victory on Saturday.

The Ivorian has been bestowed endless superlatives by onlookers this campaign, none more so than Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray, who was so impressed with Amad’s output that he all but pleaded with United to avoid triggering a recall.

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The 20-year-old will hope to trudge out on the Wembley turf himself with Sunderland in the play-off final at the end of this month after being invited by United to the FA Cup final, which takes place just days later.

Amad has respectably left the door open for a return to the Stadium of Light next season but made clear his primary mission, “I have a lot of thoughts in my head but my ambition now is to come back to Manchester United and maybe to get my chance,” he admitted at the weekend.

The former Atalanta star has already played nine senior games for the Reds, and netted his maiden goal two months after his January 2021 arrival against AC Milan. He also scored twice in pre-season; against Wrexham and Rayo Vallecano.

Amad certainly can play a part in next season’s plans, and Erik ten Hag says it is something he is considering. The youngster’s ears will have perked by those comments but in reality, a different path may be more beneficial.

Mowbray noted how he has flourished with regular first-team game time and with a new centre-forward expected at United in the summer – along with stacked flank options – he would not get that at Old Trafford.

That said, he has still met the targets Ten Hag set him ahead of his loan to Sunderland. Speaking about that conversation, Amad revealed: “He said it would be a good experience for me to play more games, to get more confidence and to come back to Manchester more ready.”

The attacker has ticked the box in every one of those regards. Speaking about whether he had been tracking Amad’s progress at Sunderland, Ten Hag admitted he sees a future for him at United.

“Yes [I have watched him]. Of course, we loan such players to make development and make progress to bring them back, that is the aim of the loan.

“So we are really strong with them, we mentor them, we follow them, we have communication over the season, especially (technical director) Darren Fletcher invests a lot in such processes, the aim is to bring them back but as a better player with experience.”

Amad is no doubt now a better player. The question still remains whether his inclusion will come next season or in the years beyond.

One thing seems certain though – his time at United will inevitably come and his United first-team ambition will be realised once more.

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