Former Rangers loanee Amad Diallo previously declared his love for the club, while his Manchester United heroics have left a Celtic icon red-faced after emerging as a top player in the Premier League.
Amad, who spent half a season on loan with the Gers in 2022, has burst into life this season in the Premier League. The Ivorian has been a regular in United’s starting line-up since Ruben Amorim’s appointment and repaid the Portuguese’s faith in him by scoring the last-gasp winner in Sunday’s Manchester Derby.
The 22-year-old’s recent standout performances will warm the hearts of some Rangers fans, who immediately took to him when he netted a crucial goal against Ross County in his debut back in January 2022. But it is generally accepted that his four months in Scotland were a disappointment, having made just 13 appearances and scored three goals.
Then only 19 years of age, Amad arrived at Ibrox with plenty of hype following his hefty £37million transfer to Old Trafford from Atalanta just 12 months earlier. The turning point appeared to be his performance in the Old Firm Derby, during which he was overwhelmed by the famous fixture’s ferocity and intensity.
Amad was hauled off at half-time by manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst with Rangers 3-0 down. He never seemed to recover, falling down the pecking order and missing the club’s run to the Europa League final completely.
Amad’s Old Firm showing drew a brutal assessment of his time in Scotland by former Celtic star Kris Commons. He questioned Rangers’ decision to bring him in on loan and claimed Amad was destined to fail in Light Blues colours.
Commons told the Daily Mail: “As for Amad Diallo, he already looks like he’s in the wrong movie. Just because Manchester United spent £37million on him, that’s no guarantee of success.
“He had a great chance late in the game and hit the post. He could have squared the ball to Fashion Sakala who would have had a tap-in. That can be the difference in tight, stuffy games. Van Bronckhorst knows Rangers can’t afford many more days like this in the title race.” While Commons was ultimately proven right about his time at Rangers, Amad’s rise to superstardom will no doubt have him feeling a little embarrassed.
The fleet-footed winger faced more criticism from Rangers supporters for his 17-minute cameo in a 1-1 against Dundee United later that February, with fans on social media calling for him to be “sent back to Manchester United.” His display even led to Scottish football pundit Derek Ferguson describing the teenager’s display as “lacklustre”.
Van Bronckhorst, who was sacked just months later in November 2022, did little to improve Amad’s confidence with his comments or team selections. “He had a good start. You also know the change in environment for him is an aspect that he feels,” the Dutchman pointed out.
“Also the level of playing now. He played a couple of games with United but only in the reserves so the intensity that he will be feeling in Scotland is much higher.”
Despite a growing fear that he was perhaps not as good as many in Manchester had predicted, Amad bounced back by scoring twice in a friendly against Brentford. He also earned a medal in his final appearance for the Gers, starting the Scottish Cup final as they beat Hearts 2-0.
The Ivorian’s difficulties finding playing time didn’t diminish his affection for Rangers. In May 2022, he wrote on social media, “I love you Rangers,” along with a heart emoji.
He also issued a heartfelt statement when his loan spell came to an end, showing that he reflected fondly on his time in Scotland. Amad developed a strong friendship with Zambian striker Fashion Sakala, posting a collection of photographs of the pair with the caption: “It was a pleasure my friend, forever friends.”
Just a year later, having joined Sunderland on a season-long loan, he was being hailed as one of the best loan signings ever. He quickly won the Black Cats fans over, claiming the club’s Young Player of the Year Award for the season.
His 14 goals made him Sunderland’s top goal-scorer for the 2022/23 campaign, with his best strike being a free-kick from 25 yards in the Championship play-off semi-finals. Former Celtic boss Tony Mowbray, who managed him at the time, gave him an attacking mandate after an initially difficult spell, with no goals scored in his first five starts at the Stadium of Light.
Mowbray told MEN: “He’s just a young boy really, but he’s supremely talented. You see his touch, and see how fast and direct he is, it’s a lovely thing to watch on the training pitch. You see how talented he is, and you can see why he’s at Man United. But you can also understand why he’s out on loan, to develop the core materials you need to be a competitive footballer. He needs to find a better end product.
“We need him to shoot more. It’s something I tell him every single day. It’s almost as if he wants to score a brilliant perfect goal. He faints to shoot, sits somebody down, skips past the next one, faints to shoot and the goalie dives and he rolls it in the corner. We all then go ‘wow’.
“He’s in the middle of the box on his favoured left foot ten yards out. He has just got to smash that in and he waits for the defender to come so he can skip past him.”
Amad’s goal against Manchester City on Sunday demonstrated he has stuck to his strengths, taking the ball past goalkeeper Ederson before slotting the ball into an empty net and giving United a rare victory over their rivals. His superb dribbling also won the penalty which drew the Red Devils level at the Etihad.
The exciting young talent has gone from strength to strength since his breakthrough last season under Erik ten Hag. But it appears his tough time in Scotland, where he was receiving pelters from all directions, helped form the mental resilience needed to succeed at the very top.
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