Tony Mowbray believes the chances of Amad returning to Sunderland next season are remote - with a Premier League club a more likely destination if Manchester United loan him out again. Ivory Coast international Amad has been a huge hit while on loan with the Black Cats in the Championship this season, top-scoring with 11 goals and also contributing a couple of assists.
But he will return to the Red Devils this summer and has designs on becoming a regular at Old Trafford, while the club is keen to see a return on the £30m-plus fee they reportedly paid Atalanta for his services in 2021. For their part, Sunderland would love to see the 20-year-old back on Wearside next term but Mowbray is realistic enough to know that is unlikely, and if Amad does not make it into Erik ten Hag's squad there will almost certainly be top flight clubs ready to take him on loan.
"That's not my domain at this football club, to be honest," he said, when asked if Amad might return next season. "Amad is a wonderful footballer.
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"I know how much he enjoys the environment, how much he enjoys being around his teammates, but you have to put it into context - he's a Manchester United player and he cost them a lot of money. Whatever their plans are for him, they will have him back at the end of this season and he'll either go on their pre-season tour and they can see where they think he is, or ... but it's their decision.
"Unless he's told he's going out on loan again, we have to abide by that. Even if he did go out on loan, I would suggest there might be some Premier League sides who would have seen the talent and recognised that he could play for them. I think we just have to enjoy having him here while we can."
Amad's ability has lit up the Championship and he has been a key component in this Sunderland side as it has made the step up from League One, and immediately launched a bid for a play-off place. His spell at Sunderland has also helped him, providing the regular first-team football he needed after a loan stint at Rangers ;ast season saw him on the periphery of things at Ibrox.
Mowbray said: "His natural talent is there for everyone to see. I shouldn't need to eulogise about what he can do with the ball at his feet - it's almost stuck to his left foot at times.
"He's built up a wonderful relationship with Patrick Roberts and their clever interaction and one-twos and link-up has been really good. It's great that he has been able to score some goals because early on he wouldn't shoot, when he got into the box he was always looking to pass.
"He needed to break out of that mould, and now he is in a mould where he is enjoying scoring goals and celebrating helping the team win. He's a nice kid, he is very, very talented, sometimes you have to give him a little gee to make sure he knows how important this game is, but if you put it into context he is not our player, he has another home at Manchester United.
"Every game is massively important and sometimes when you are as talented as him, I have to make sure he doesn't just turn up and go through the motions because it's quite comfortable for him and he can do what he wants. We've all enjoyed working with Amad, he is a fantastic footballer and I'll be really interested to see what direction his career takes."
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