Amad Diallo would be forgiven for wanting to make the most of his current momentum to push for first-team football at Manchester United, but the young Reds star needs to be patient.
The decision to drop into the Championship and sign on loan for Sunderland last summer has proven to be a brilliant one, the 20-year-old gaining experience in senior football and playing for a side whose attacking nature suits him to a tee. Black Cats manager Tony Mowbray has waxed lyrical about Diallo who has taken to his new team like a duck to water.
His 11 league goals are more than anyone else in red and white this season, while two more assists take his total contributions to 13. But as important as those numbers are the 2,142 minutes played in the second-tier this season.
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In an interview with FourFourTwo earlier this month, Diallo admitted it is his 'dream' to return to United and prove he can don the famous red shirt. But he will only be 21 when his loan at the Stadium of Light ends and must be careful not to run before he can walk.
The Ivorian's form at Sunderland this season has been outstanding, but with the greatest respect to Mowbray's side, the bridge between them and United is a long one. Erik ten Hag looks set to bolster his squad further this summer as he builds a side fit for a title push, and the Dutchman has already gained a reputation around M16 for sticking with a core of players.
Two of Diallo's young United teammates have felt that all too well this season, with Anthony Elanga and Facundo Pellistri both left frustrated at a lack of senior football. 890 minutes between them is less than half of what Diallo has managed on his own and proof of the difficulty in breaking into the team.
Elanga has held conversations with Ten Hag during the season, with just seven starts to his name and none since the 3-0 Carabao Cup win over Charlton in January.
“It is frustrating," the Swede admitted while away on international duty in March. "You want to play. It is important. But if you don’t play, it’s not up to me but up to the coach."
Carrying his form and consistency into a Premier League title challenge would be a major ask for Diallo, who could instead look to bridge the gap between Championship and Champions League with another temporary move. There would be no shortage of Premier League sides outside the top-six keen on a move, nor would there be a lack of interest across Europe.
Diallo will have a decision to make this summer, no doubt following conversations with Ten Hag about his immediate future at United. Investment ahead of next season and the Dutchman's resistance to rotate makes regular football at Old Trafford unlikely.
There is no rush for the youngster to achieve his dream of starring for the Reds, and another season of consistent football elsewhere could be of benefit to all.
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