It may feel bizarre to say, following a 15th Premier League defeat of the season on Sunday afternoon, but there is a growing sense of optimism at Manchester United, following a potentially pivotal week both on and off the field.
On Thursday night, of course, the Red Devils completed a barnstorming turnaround against Lyon to progress into the last four of the Europa League, with Ruben Amorim edging ever closer to European glory and potential Champions League qualification.
Even the weekend loss to Wolverhampton Wanderers was somewhat overshadowed by the standout display of the club’s latest academy debutant, Tyler Fredricson, while the man pictured next to him, Matheus Cunha, looks like he could be back at Old Trafford permanently.
Elsewhere, meanwhile, last week provided a positive update regarding Amad Diallo’s injury rehab, with Amorim no doubt itching to have the Ivorian back fit and firing again.
Latest on Amad’s injury return
Excluding Bruno Fernandes – who yet again leads the way for goals and assists at Old Trafford – the shining light of 2024/25 has been Amad, with the 22-year-old notably contributing 12 goals and assists in just 20 games following Amorim’s arrival.
|
Amad’s Man Utd record by coach |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Manager |
Games |
Goals |
Assists |
|
Erik ten Hag |
24 |
3 |
3 |
|
Ruben Amorim |
20 |
6 |
6 |
|
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer |
8 |
1 |
1 |
|
Ruud van Nistelrooy |
4 |
2 |
1 |
|
Ralf Rangnick |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
Michael Carrick |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Total |
57 |
12 |
9 |
|
Stats via Transfermarkt |
|||
From his late heroics against both Manchester City and Liverpool, to his stunning hat-trick against bottom side Southampton, the former Atalanta starlet had repeatedly stepped up in the early months of a real breakthrough campaign on an individual basis.
Frustratingly for all concerned, the £120k-per-week winger – who signed a new contract in January – was struck down by an ankle issue in early February, with Amorim seemingly ruling him out for the season at the time.
The former Sporting CP boss did subsequently hint that Amad could actually return before the campaign is at an end, a fact that has been bolstered by images of the youngster back in training last week.
Amorim suggested that while his rising star is “not ready” to feature in April, his return could well come in May, with that set to be a welcome sight amid United’s shortcomings in attack.
A welcome sight would also be the signing of a similarly exciting young talent this summer, with United seemingly stepping up their search for the next big thing from across the globe.
Man Utd ready to sign teen sensation this summer
While it has taken time to come to fruition, United are beginning to reap the rewards of having plucked Amad from Italy as a teenager back in October 2020, with the then-17-year-old ultimately arriving in January 2021 on an initial £19m deal that could reach £37m with add-ons.
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That relatively costly deal looks like it could be repeated in the near future, with reports outlining that INEOS are ready to trigger the £38m release clause for River Plate sensation, Franco Mastantuono.
The 17-year-old is believed to be being watched closely by those at Old Trafford, with United seemingly needing to act quickly if they are to win the race, amid rival interest from the likes of Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Inter.
The report claims that while the Argentine outfit are keen to hang on to their teenage diamond, a ‘serious bid’ from those in Manchester would likely ensure a deal gets done.
Why Man Utd are keen to sign on Franco Mastantuono
Having already looked to the South American market to sign Paraguayan full-back, Diego Leon, ahead of next season, United appear to be ready to add to that deal with the signing of another potential superstar, in the form of Mastantuono.
Like Amad before him – who was likened to Lionel Messi by Atalanta teammate, Papu Gomez, before joining United – the River starlet is earning rave reviews in his homeland, amid comparisons to Manchester City’s Phil Foden.
A left-footed attacker, like both Foden and Amad, who can operate on the flanks or as a number ten, Mastantuono has been hailed as a “creative genius” by analyst Ben Mattinson, following a fine start to life at senior level.
Still just 17, the Argentina U20 international has already made 53 appearances for his current side in the first team, with that regular involvement seeing him chalk up 11 goals and assists to date.
What particularly sets the teenager apart is both his ability to create chances for his teammates, but also his innate ball-carrying ability, as evidenced by the fact he averages 2.3 key passes and 2.9 successful dribbles per game in the league in 2025.
To put that into perspective, that places the in-demand talent just ahead of Amad in that regard, with the current United man averaging 1.8 and 1.6 for those same two metrics, respectively, in 2024/25.
Like with the Ivorian, it may not be expected for Mastantuono to immediately hit the ground running in a United shirt, although all the signs point to him being a future star, with Mattinson even noting that there are “shades of Kevin De Bruyne” about him.
Seemingly a perfect fit in one of the two number ten roles in Amorim’s 3-4-3 system, the £38m playmaker certainly appears worth investing in, even despite the eye-catching nature of the price tag, with the case of Amad showcasing the benefits of putting faith in the next big thing.
After years of being burned by short-term, expensive signings, the Red Devils now need to do things differently.
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