Manchester United confirmed today the arrival of Amad Diallo. Following a few days of high expectation, the Red Devils were finally able to announce that he’s joined the club.
The Italian media is obviously making big coverage out of it, with website Tutto Mercato Web saying Atalanta are ‘well rewarded’ for the transfer, which is worth €25m up front plus €15m in bonuses.
The outlet also managed to hold an interview with Enzo Guerri, who’s the president of Boca Barco, the first club Amad Diallo played for in Italy.
“The memories are all pleasant. Diallo started playing in our youth sector, from 2013 to 2015, from 11 to 13 years old, and already at the time it was clear that he had something more than the others,” Guerri told Tutto Mercato Web.
The president revealed that other Italian giants had been watching Diallo before his move to Atalanta, as he was an impressive player from an early age.
“And Atalanta were certainly not the only ones to put him in their sights… There was a line of observers to see Diallo, they came to our field from all over Italy. Amad made three trials in Turin with Juve, as he was called by Reggiana, Sassuolo, Empoli, Roma and, in fact, Atalanta. He tried them all until he found the right place for the big jump. Not surprisingly, he became the first scorer in the 2002 class of our Serie A.
Asked if he agrees with the move, Guerri said: “For me Diallo will not go to Manchester to be on the bench, he will go there to play. It’s a good opportunity for him, he couldn’t to say no”.
Diallo signed a four-and-a-half-year deal with Manchester United, with an option for a further season. The agreement was actually reached on deadline day in October, but the clubs needed more time to sort out the paperwork.
The other youngster the Red Devils signed in the summer, Facundo Pellistri, is still to make his official debut for the club. So since Diallo has few minutes at first team level, perhaps Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will also wait a little until he finally uses him.
