Ten Hag could repeat Fergie's Welbeck trick with Man Utd's “unbelievable” 20 y/o gem - opinion

While there is much excitement at Manchester United surrounding teenage starlet, Alejandro Garnacho, the Argentine gem is not the only youngster on the club’s books to be flourishing this season, with the Red Devils currently reaping the rewards of sending their up-and-coming gems out on loan.

Arguably the standout performer among those to have moved to a temporary home is diminutive winger, Amad Diallo, with the 20-year-old having enjoyed a truly fruitful stint at Championship side Sunderland so far this term.

The former Atalanta sensation – who arrived in England on a £19m deal back in January 2021 – had only made nine appearances for his parent club prior to joining the Black Cats over the summer, having also endured a disappointing stint at Glasgow Rangers last season in which he was restricted to just six starts for the Old Firm giants.

Despite those previous woes, the Ivorian dynamo has been something of a revelation at the Stadium of Light in recent months, having scored seven goals and provided three assists in 25 games across all fronts.

That remarkable consistency has ensured that praise is now flooding in for the three-cap speedster, having been lauded as “unbelievable” and an “amazing footballer” by manager Tony Mowbray, as well as being branded “terrific” by former United man, Michael Carrick.

While Erik ten Hag avoided the potential temptation of recalling Amad from his loan stint in January, the Dutchman may well be considering whether to unleash the in-form asset next season, with now perhaps the time for the youngster to truly be afforded the chance to impress at Old Trafford.

The former Ajax boss could well look to the past to see the benefits of building on a player’s promising loan spell by thrusting them into the action, with Sir Alex Ferguson having sent Danny Welbeck to the northeast on a temporary deal in 2010, before bringing the striker back into the fold the following season.

Could Amad Diallo follow in Danny Welbeck’s footsteps?

Having scored a stunner on his Premier League debut at the age of just 17 in November 2008, Welbeck remained on the cusp of the first team at the Theatre of Dreams over the next 18 months or so before joining Preston North End in January 2010.

That initial loan move was ultimately cut short due to injury, although the Englishman subsequently showcased his quality after joining Sunderland for the following campaign, recording a respectable haul of six goals in 26 top-flight games for the club.

That breakthrough season – which the player himself described as a “great experience” – ultimately proved beneficial for both the forward and Ferguson, as the 6 foot 1 machine then returned to score nine league goals during the 2011/12 campaign for the Red Devils.

Despite ultimately being cast aside by Louis Van Gaal in 2014 – as the Manchester-born marksman joined Arsenal on deadline day – Welbeck still proved a useful asset for United during his time at the club, racking up 50 goal involvements across 142 games in all competitions.

Noted as a player that Jose Mourinho would never have sold had he been in charge at the time, the 32-year-old has proved a thorn in the side of his former club since his departure, scoring four goals in just 11 appearances against the Old Trafford outfit to date.

While the hope will be that Amad can enjoy a more fruitful and long-term spell in Manchester if he is to return Ten Hag’s first-team squad for next term, the 5 foot 8 winger should look to follow in Welbeck’s footsteps in making that transition into the senior ranks after previously shining elsewhere.

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