Southampton pushing to sign Amad Diallo in January – Man United News And Transfer News

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Southampton are pushing to sign Manchester United winger Amad Diallo on loan in January.

Amad has experienced a frustrating year so far, having sustained a serious knee injury during the club’s pre-season tour of America. He was forced to leave the field during a friendly against Arsenal and was seen leaving the MetLife Stadium on crutches after full-time.

The club confirmed the injury but offered little information on the nature of it or an expected timeline for his return.

A month after the incident, Amad released a photo on his Instagram page with a scar on his right knee, suggesting he had been forced to undergo surgery as a result of the injury. The 21-year-old has only recently returned to first-team training in the last few weeks following this lay-off.

🚨🔴 Good news for Man United today as Amad Diallo returns to full training with the first-team squad.

“Amad gets back to fitness after a knee injury”, the club confirm. pic.twitter.com/3IRGLFub9M

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) December 7, 2023

This period which Amad has been ruled out constitutes desperately unlucky timing, however.

The right-wing position – Amad’s favoured role – has been a revolving door this season, with none of the existing options in the United squad laying a firm claim to it, for varying reasons.

Jadon Sancho continues to be banished from the senior squad, and is extremely likely to depart Old Trafford in January, while Antony experienced his own absence from first-team duties in September following allegations of domestic violence. Neither player has impressed in their appearances on the right-wing when selected, however.

In their stead, Amad’s most obvious competitor – fellow youngster Facundo Pellistri – has been given repeated opportunities. The Uruguayan’s enthusiasm is to to be commended, but a severe lack of quality has seen his game time reduced following Antony’s return to the squad.

The knee injury sustained a few weeks prior to the start of this season came, therefore, at the worst possible point in Amad’s United career.

The Ivorian returned to Old Trafford this summer following an extremely impressive season on loan to Sunderland. Amad was electric, scoring fourteen goals and providing three assists, as he helped his newly-adopted side reach the playoffs. He won the Sunderland Fans’ Young Player of the Year, as well as the PFA Championship Fans’ Player of the Year, awards as a result of these efforts.

The 21-year-old would have been primed to seize the right-wing opportunity early in the season if not for the cruel hand of fate. And while Sancho’s absence will certainly continue, and Antony and Pellistri’s struggles to impose themselves are likely to persist, the number of opportunities for the recently returned Amad has now been lost as well.

Erik ten Hag’s side crashed out of the Champions League in abysmal fashion and were also unceremoniously eliminated from the Carabao Cup. While the Christmas period will be expectedly busy, United are set to play only two games in the entirety of January.

In response to this reduced schedule, Ten Hag is thought to be keen to trim his squad, offering departures for unwanted players and loan moves for talented youngsters who may not otherwise see meaningul minutes. Amad falls into the latter category.

A number of Championship clubs have been alerted by the potential availability of one of the league’s best players last season. Sunderland and Leicester have both been linked, but Pete O’Rourke (footballinsider247) believes Southampton are leading the charge for Amad’s services.

“…both Leicester City and Sunderland are also ready to take the Man United winger on loan for the second half of the 2023-24 campaign. But it is believed that Russell Martin’s Southampton and his recruitment staff are pushing the hardest to land Diallo at this time.”

Southampton’s interest in the Ivorian is long-standing, having enquired about his services in the summer only to be rebuffed. An approach this window appears far more likely to be successful, however.