Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs has delivered a stark warning to current manager Ruben Amorim, stating that winger Amad Diallo has become virtually irreplaceable within the squad.
The Rise of a £19m Signing
The Ivorian international was brought to Old Trafford as a teenage prospect in 2021 under the management of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. The initial fee paid to Atalanta was £19 million, though the total package could eventually rise to £37m with add-ons. After loan spells at Rangers and Sunderland to aid his development, the 23-year-old has firmly established himself as a crucial first-team figure.
Last season, Amad made 43 appearances and scored 11 goals, cementing his importance. His influence has continued into the current campaign, where he has featured in all but two of United's Premier League matches.
AFCON Absence Poses Major Problem
Amad is currently absent from the United squad, having travelled to Morocco to represent the Ivory Coast at the Africa Cup of Nations. This means the club could be without his services for much of January, depending on how far his nation progresses in the tournament.
Speaking to BetSelect, Giggs expressed significant concern about how Amorim will cope without the versatile forward. "Amad will be difficult to replace, and I don’t know how we’re going to do it, whether we are going to change shape. I’m not too sure," the former winger admitted.
Giggs shares similar worries about the loss of Bryan Mbeumo but is less concerned with Noussair Mazraoui's departure for the same tournament, citing defensive cover from the returning Matthijs de Ligt, Harry Maguire, and Lisandro Martinez.
Silver Linings and Fan Hopes
Giggs did highlight one positive for Amorim during this period: the return to form of Mason Mount. "The plus side is that Mason Mount has come back into the team. And that’s a massive plus," he said. "You never know how good a player is until they’re playing regularly. And now we’re starting to see the Mason Mount that we saw at Chelsea for a number of years."
Ultimately, Giggs believes United fans will be hoping for an early exit for the Ivory Coast from AFCON to minimise the disruption. "I think United fans are just hoping that their countries don’t go through the group stage, and we don’t miss them for too long," he concluded.
Manchester United, currently sitting seventh in the Premier League, face Newcastle United at Old Trafford on Boxing Day as they aim to get back to winning ways without their influential winger.
