Kristjaan Speakman does not expect Amad to return to Wearside next season - dashing the hopes of Sunderland fans who had hoped to see the Manchester United forward back at the Stadium of Light. Amad enjoyed a magnificent season on loan with the Black Cats last term, scoring 14 goals to help the club reach the Championship play-off semi-finals and becoming a fan favourite in the process.
Head coach Tony Mowbray frequently lavished praise on the 19-year-old Ivory Coast international, but there was a recognition at the end of the season that the Red Devils would have other plans for Amad next season - either involving them in their Premier League squad, or alternatively sending him out on loan to a top flight club either in England or in one of the other major European leagues. Despite that, there has remained an outside chance that Amad might come back to Sunderland with a report last month suggesting that, if he did go out on loan again, his preference was to rejoin the Black Cats.
But sporting director Speakman says that is highly unlikely to happen, and a top flight club is a more likely destination for Amad. "I'm so happy Amad sat in here at the end of the season with me and Tony [Mowbray] and had a vibrant smile on his face," Speakman told The Athletic.
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"He loved it. Naturally, that's what we want. Can Amad return to Sunderland? I don't think so. He should be playing in tier one, in England, LaLiga, Bundesliga, wherever. That's the level of player he is.
"The staff here, the players and supporters have helped him get back on that journey and hopefully that will attract more players to want to come to Sunderland."
Manchester United signed Amad from Italian Serie A side Atalanta in January 2021 for a fee that could reportedly rise as high as £35m, depending on add-ons.
