The state of play with Amad, Manchester United and Sunderland explained amid Leeds 'interest': Could he really return?

Experience had taught Sunderland fans not to fall in love with a loan player, not again.

But Amad, well, he was just too good.

14 goals, many of them genuine stunners and matchwinners to boot, were the heartbeat of a campaign that proved to be more successful and more exhilarating than anyone had dared to hope for.

The affection was mutual, with the youngster clearly relishing the bond he had built with supporters. 

The expectation, though, was that this would be a one-season union. Hopes there may be another chapter have in recent weeks been fuelled by reports that the forward has made clear he wants to come back, and his social media activity since the end of the campaign reflects that.

So what’s actually happening, and just how realistic is the prospect of his return? Here Phil Smith breaks down the current state of play, and the options in play for all the parties involved…

OPTION 1: MANCHESTER UNITED SUCCESS

While Amad’s love for Sunderland is genuine, there can be little doubt that his dream is to become a success at Manchester United.

“Hopefully next season I will get my chance,” he told Sky Sports in an interview ahead of Sunderland’s brilliant win at Preston North End on the final day of the Championship campaign.

As it stands, there’s still every possibility he will. Erik ten Hag said in a press conference recently that Amad had a future at Old Trafford, saying that the loan was succeeding exactly as the club had hoped. And in a visit to the Academy of Light towards the end of last season, United loan manager Les Parry signalled that the youngster would likely go on the club’s pre-season tour of the US, giving ten Hag a better chance to fully assess his progress.

Whether United feel Amad is ready for a prominent squad role remains to be seen, but they most certainly intend to give him the chance to prove he is. As such, there is unlikely to be any movement in the immediate future.

OPTION 2: TOP-TIER LOAN

Sunderland would of course relish the opportunity to bring Amad back to the Stadium of Light, but at this stage they feel it is wise to prepare for that not to happen.

Even if United do decide that another season out on loan is the best course of action, Sunderland feel that there will be a glut of teams ready to offer him the prospect of stepping up another level.

That will undoubtedly include some Premier League sides, but it is not beyond the realms of possibility that there could be some level of European football on the table, too.

Sporting Director Kristjaan Speakman was asked about the prospect of Amad’s return at the Foundation of Light’s annual fixture release breakfast and underlined Sunderland’s caution: "Let’s be really clear, he’s a tier-one footballer in the global game. 

“There’s a lot of clubs out there, Bundesliga, La Liga, Premier League… that will want to take him.

"The really nice thing I think is that I think he would want to come back, and that says a lot about his experience here and how the fans have taken to him. That’s the really positive thing for us to take forward."

Speakman echoed in part Tony Mowbray’s prediction in April, just after the forward had scored a brilliant late winner against Birmingham City: “I have a good feeling for Amad that if he’s not back at United he will go for big, big money to a top Spanish team.

“He loves football and wants to play so what do you do if you are at Manchester United?

“Are you happy just to be a Manchester United player and play six sub appearances and two starts over a season of 60 games for them? Or do you want to go out and play?

“So are they going to sell him? If they do they will want to recoup their money which was reputedly 40 million euros or whatever it was.”

The point being that there in the long run two positive outcomes for Manchester United: Amad breaking through to their first XI or developing to a point where he can command a big fee.

A top-tier loan would clearly best serve both of those goals best from United’s perspective.

OPTION 3: THE DREAM SUNDERLAND RETURN

The one trump card Sunderland hold is United would be sending him to a club where he would already be settled, where he would be guaranteed starts week in, week out and where a prominent role in the team is well established. 

If, and is a big if, the proposals from higher-division clubs don’t excite or encourage, then the Black Cats would be well poised.

Leeds United are said to be interested but the prospect of that seems relatively remote: If United sanction another second-tier loan then it is by now pretty clear that Amad will push hard for Sunderland. What would be interesting is how he would feel about a top-tier European loan, compared to the prospect of a Wearside return.

SO, WHAT NEXT?

Sunderland feel they are in a pretty strong position, for the moment.

They’ve made a solid start to their summer recruitment and the pre-season period gives them a valuable chance to assess the progress of the possible internal replacements, particularly Isaac Lihadji.

If Amad were to become available, then they would be ready to move. But Speakman’s comments show that they will most certainly have alternatives, whether internal or external.

As the Sporting Director explained, Amad now offers a perfect example to players and clubs as to how they develop and thrive within Sunderland’s project.