Manchester United fans are excited for the January transfer window opening.
The club will, all things going right, complete the signing of Amad Diallo, who joins from Atalanta in a £19million deal, which could rise to £37million with add-ons.
Just 18 years old, Diallo has only actually made five appearances for Atalanta’s senior side, and three of those were last season.
A naturally talented dribbler, he’s come to the fore in Italy, becoming the first player born in 2002 to net in Serie A when he scored in a cameo against Udinese last campaign.
Now, though, his arrival is set to send his name, recently legally changed from Amad Traore to Amad Diallo, into the stratosphere.
But who is the youngster set to arrive at Old Trafford and what type of player is he? talkSPORT.com takes a look.
Positionally speaking, we’re looking at a winger here, one who can play off both flanks, though mostly the right, and both feet, although his left is the favoured option.
Diallo’s exceptional skills have already gone viral with a number of videos from training sessions in Italy doing the rounds once Man United fans got their hands on them.
Pirouettes, drag-backs, and stepovers, all while slaloming through his more experienced teammates.
Given his age, many will be curious as to how much scouting the Red Devils will have done on the precocious Ivorian midfielder.
However, fears should be allayed by the Manchester Evening News revealing head of academy recruitment Dave Harrison, chief scouts Marcel Bout and Jim Lawlor, and technical chief scout Mick Court all reported on the player.
His figures from his time with Atalanta’s Primavera side certainly stack up though, with 13 goals and 15 assists in 46 appearances.
Diallo’s work rate defensively isn’t too shabby either, happy to muck in for the good of the team.
Recalling the first time he saw Diallo, and his brother Hamed Junior, ex-Italy goalkeeper Giovanni Galli, who was then the sporting director of Lucchese said: “Their quality was incredible. They trained with the guys born in 1999.
“Hamed Junior was born in 2000 and his brother Amad was born in 2002. Despite that, there was a huge gap between them and the others.
“Amad was tremendous. Great technical skills, outstanding personality. The way they touched the ball was different, they did nutmegs and all that. They were on another level.”
He added “I knew they [Man Utd] had been scouting him for over a year.
“I know a scout of Manchester United very well as we usually meet at games. He used to tell me that the club sent him several times to watch the player.”
Current teammate Papu Gomez certainly has a high opinion of the player having witnessed him first hand at Atalanta.
“He’s a future star, trust me. During our training, he seems like [Lionel] Messi! You can’t stop him.”
Huge words, but if he’s even half as good United will have a superstar right winger on their hands.
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