Amad Diallo names five Manchester United stars Rúben Amorim must build around, including surprise pick

Amad Diallo has picked a surprise Manchester United player as one of five that he feels Rúben Amorim should build around for this Old Trafford project.

Amad Diallo has been one of Manchester United’s finest performers since Rúben Amorim took over as the club’s new head coach.

Originally marginalised and devoid of minutes under previous boss Erik ten Hag, Amad bided his time and managed to seize his opportunity, impressing fans towards the back end of the 2023/24 campaign.

Despite winning the club’s Player of the Month award in August during the opening month of the 2024/25 term, he was soon relegated back to a squad player role, although returned to the starting XI against interim manager Ruud van Nistelrooy before being firmly cemented as an attacking midfielder under Amorim.

Amad has also played several fixtures as a right wing-back but has excelled as an attacking player, offering ten goal contributions in his last 12 appearances.

Amad names United’s five players to build around

While Amorim is still figuring out who fits into his best current starting line-up at the club, half an eye is also being kept on who the side should be built around in the long term.

Amad has offered his thoughts on who the project should be built around, naming five United players who he feels are the best and brightest of the club’s current crop.

“We are part of the project,” the 22-year-old told club media. “We have so many young players for this club, especially Garna [Alejandro Garnacho], Kobbie [Mainoo], Joshua [Zirkzee], Rasmus [Højlund], me, we are young players who want to make history for this club.

“We want to do our best every game. Sometimes it cannot work, but you can see in the pitch we our very focused to do our best for this club, because we want to bring back this club to the level it was before. 

“So, for the young lads, we just have to keep going, work hard and the most important thing is to listen to the old men, the old players, learn every day. 

“We have now a new manager, he likes to work with young players, and he brings a new system, so we just have to follow it and try to do our best every game.”

Zirkzee is a surprise pick from Amad

While the picks of Garnacho, Mainoo, Højlund and himself make sense, Amad’s decision to include Zirkzee as one of the five players is a surprise pick, considering the current feeling towards him from fans.

United signed the 23-year-old Netherlands international early in the 2024 transfer window, paying Serie A side Bologna £36 million for his services, which was slightly over his release clause to allow the money to be paid in instalments.

However, the player has failed to hit the ground running at Old Trafford and has been continually linked with a move back to Italy, with Juventus and Napoli both said to be keen on his signature.

Many United fans have expressed their apathy for the player, either seeing Højlund as the striker United should be focusing on or aiming to sign a new forward in 2025, with Victor Osimhen the name on most people’s list.

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