Amad handed Man Utd exit route as rivals confirm January transfer swoop

25 January 2024 , 15:40

581     0

Sunderland want to re-sign Amad from Manchester United (Image: Matthew Peters/Getty Images)

Sunderland have gone back in for Manchester United winger Amad.

‌The popular winger scored 14 goals in 40 games for the Black Cats last season and was a huge hit as they raced to the Championship play-offs. Amad returned to Old Trafford in the summer, with United delighted with his progress on Wearside and ready to give him a chance to stake a claim to break into Erik ten Hag's team.

But Amad has only played once - in August against Nottingham Forest as a 54th-minute substitute - and could be on the move again after recovering from injury. Sunderland are unlikely to be able to afford a permanent deal but are one of several clubs who want the 21-year-old on loan.

Sporting director Kristjaan Speakman confirmed: "The situation is clear. We have a positive relationship with the boy, his people and Manchester United. Can he improve us? Yes. Have we enquired? Yes. Have we kept in contact with him? Yes. My head would be on a stake if not!

"Even if he became available we might not get him. I regard him as a tier one player. He is a tier one player. We would be lucky if we got him on loan again. The level he can play at. He loved his time here. He loved the players and staff."

Marcel Sabitzer completes Man Utd transfer after last-minute deadline day dash

Sunderland have insisted they will also try to retain star winger Jack Clarke. The £15million-rated goal scorer will be staying on Wearside to help them push for the play-offs, unless a big offer is tabled.

‌Clarke has been scouted by Premier League clubs after scoring 13 goals in 30 appearances so far this season, and is of top flight quality. Burnley tried to land him last summer and West Ham have showed an interest. Speakman said: "I get the news about selling players but our ambition is to retain our best players, develop them, go higher in the league. I don’t see any of those external moves happening. We have not had anything externally to consider."

Amad was a big hit at Sunderland last season (George Wood/Getty Images)

Key midfielder Alex Pritchard has been offered a contract extension with his current deal expiring in the summer. Speakman said: "Alex is an integral part of our position. From Alex’s perspective we will offer him an extension to his contract. We needed to do that, out of where his head was at. He is in a good position."

‌Under-fire boss Michael Beale has fired back at fans who want him out after just seven games. He has lost four of those games in all competitions and said: "I am a bit perplexed by the outside thing. Some people were not happy when I arrived before we had played a game. I have to keep working and by winning games it will change some people’s minds but not everyone."

Beale mocked suggestions of "a big crisis" and added: "There has been a level of rancour. We had won two in nine before I came here. In the next nine we have won four. Everyone is aware of the noise in the background, but we can only focus on the job."

A power-cut then temporarily halted his press conference as the lights went out at the Academy of Light.

Simon Bird