Amad Diallo: History-maker, diminutive dribbler and £33m teenager ready to run on Rangers right wing

Manchester United winger Amad Diallo has successfully passed a medical with Rangers and agreed a move to Ibrox.

The Ivorian has only played 68 minutes of first team football at Old Trafford this season, having joined the Reds a year ago, but is a big-name recruit for Rangers, moving from one of the top clubs in England to the same in Scotland.

He was widely reported to be undergoing a medical on Thursday and confirmation of the move followed ensuring he will be in the mix for Rangers’ forthcoming matches against Ross County, Celtic and Hearts.

Here’s the lowdown on the loan signing and what Rangers fans can expect.

Who is he?

Amad Diallo is a 19-year-old right-sided attacking midfielder with two caps for the Ivory Coast. He was born there but educated in Italy where he began his football career in the north of the country with Atalanta. He moved to Manchester United a year ago for an initial transfer fee of £19m but in a deal which could eventually cost the English side more than £33m.

Though a winger, Diallo showed versatility to play through the centre of the pitch in his youth league days and is equally comfortable on his right foot as he is cutting inside the pitch on his left – a trait similar to Ryan Kent on the opposite side.

What’s Amad Diallo’s playing background?

Amad Diallo of Manchester United. (Photo by Richard Callis/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)

To answer that question, recently? Not much. Diallo managed 68 minutes for Ralf Rangnick in the Champions League against Young Boys in December but outwith that solitary appearance, he has been on the sidelines at Old Trafford, despite the lofty expectations and high price-tag.

Injury interrupted his start to the season and he had been lined up for a loan move to Feyenoord – only for the thigh problem to scupper the deal.

Even before then game-time has not been particularly prevalent since his big-money move from Atalanta, where he was a teenage star in the youth ranks, leading the Bergamo side to the youth league title and competing in the Youth Champions League before his first-team breakthrough. He caught the headlines with a debut goal in Serie A as a 17-year-old and agreed to make the move to England last season after being courted by United for more than a year.

After his January move, he was a regular on the bench and made a Manchester United debut in the Europa League against Real Sociedad. He then added just six more appearances late in the season under Ole Gunnar Solksjaer but did score in the Europa League against AC Milan with a rare header.

Amad Diallo began his senior career in Serie A with Atalanta (Photo by Jonathan Moscrop/Getty Images)

Solksjaer cautioned he would need a settling in period and has been used sparingly by the Red Devils since.

He’s made four appearances for his national team but, given the lack of game time, he was left out of their final squad for the African Cup of Nations. Ivory Coast were defeated on penalties by Egypt on Wednesday.

What sort of player is he and what can Rangers fans expect?

"Having watched him myself, I believe he is one of the most exciting young prospects in the game," said Solskjaer when making the signing and Rangers fans can be excited at the prospect of watching Diallo – even if it is just for a few months. However, he is still regarded as a raw talent and this loan is seen as a factor in his on-going development.

Manchester United's Ivorian midfielder Amad Diallo controls the ball during the UEFA Europa league quarter final against Granada. (Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)

Standing at just 5’8" he is smaller and slighter than Hagi whose place he’ll likely be taking – even if they are different players. Like Hagi, he shares a high level of technique but Diallo is also particularly quick and fleet of foot and has a trick in him – with both feet. The Ivorian dribbling down one flank and Ryan Kent on the other will be a fearsome – and fast – attacking option for Giovanni van Bronckhorst who has also eased Alex Lowry into the first team reckoning in the past week.

Why are Rangers moving now?

As mentioned, Diallo could have moved to Feyenoord on loan in August, and Manchester United see regular game-time as part of his development.

Rangers have a glaring need on the right flank with Scott Wright not yet a regular first-team pick and Ryan Kent preferred on the left-side.

Ianis Hagi’s recent injury has intensified the search as the Romanian was often deployed on the right, despite not being his favoured role.

So it works for Manchester United and it certainly works for Rangers, and silences the grumbling supporters who have complained recent transfer windows have added to the squad, but have not sufficiently improved the starting XI. Diallo most certainly should and is a headline signing for van Bronckhorst who has already brought James Sands in from New York City in this window.

There will be no option to buy in this case which is perhaps not surprising given United’s plans for the player and the level of investment they made just a year ago.

Anything else?

Yes, Diallo has a little place in history as the first incoming transfer to Britain under the post-Brexit laws last year. He signed a contract until 2025 at Old Trafford with the option to extend it to a five-year deal written in.

And for those into gaming, Diallo’s FIFA22 stats are as follows: Position – RM, Overall – 68, Pace – 81, Shooting – 63, Passing – 57, Dribbling – 74, Defending – 25, Physical – 43.

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