Man Utd can land ‘similar’ talent to Fernandes

With a tough test at home to a resurgent Newcastle United side on the horizon, Ruben Amorimare already dwindling attack options a Manchester United looks like it’s going to sell out even more.

The former Sporting CP coach will be without his captain, Bruno Fernandesfor the visit of the Magpies, following his compatriot’s red card at Molineux, while Marcus Rashford’s exile looks likely to continue amid a four-game absence for the Englishman.

With Mason Mount also injured in the Manchester Derby, Amorim will have to choose between Alejandro Garnacho, Antony and Amad Diallo to operate in those two number ten spots.

It was only a few weeks ago, however, that Garnacho was left out of the trip to the Etihad, having marked only once under the new boss against Bodo Glimt, while Antony, for his part, has done so only scored once all season.

The onus then falls on Amad to create some magic for the Red Devils, although the Ivorian wizard could certainly do with some help in the January window.

Amad’s rise to Man Utd

Eyebrows were raised in October 2020 when reports emerged that United were set to make a a share of up to 37 million pounds to sign a raw teenager from Atalanta. This was a player who, at the time, had only managed five senior Serie A appearances.

Upon his eventual arrival in Manchester in January 2021, it’s fair to say Amad took some time to make his mark, though as he scored his first goal for the club with a deft header against AC Milan towards the end of this campaign.

Comparisons with a certain Lionel Messi his days at Bergamo hung in the air, although United pleaded for patience, eventually sending the winger on loan to Rangers in January 2022, before securing another temporary stay at Sunderland in the season following

With injury affecting much of the 2023/24 campaign for the 22-year-old under Erik ten Hag, apart from his remarkable FA Cup strike against Liverpool, it looked like it was just never going to happen with Amad at Old Trafford. Fast forward a few months though and the little talent is now the man of the moment.

A strong pre-season was followed by a rare run of games under Ten Hag, which resulted in notable highlights such as the opener against Brighton and Hove Albion, although it was not until the interim appointment of Ruud van Nistelrooy that Amad started to flourish, having scored. twice and registered an assist in just four games for the Dutchman.

That momentum has been maintained under Amorim’s watch, and it took just over a minute for the silky left-back to make his mark on Ipswich Town, breaking down the right flank before teeing up Rashford with a slightly wayward cross. When your luck hits.

Since then, four more assists and two goals have followed, including this winner of the Derby, with Amad’s rising stocks represented by his status in the pecking order ahead of both Rashford and Garnacho.

Seemingly a perfect fit for one of two roles behind the striker, the 5-foot-8 sensation could do with a suitable partner alongside him. Indicates the January window.

Man Utd are looking for a playmaker

It must be said, funds are likely to be tight at Old Trafford in the New Year, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s succession of rather miserable budget cuts pointing to a quiet window in terms of income.

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That said, a potential business opportunity could arise before long, with The Times reported earlier this week that United is among the clubs on “red alert” if Barcelona Dani Olmo are available.

The financial limitations of the Catalan team mean that there is a possibility that the Spanish international could leave on a free transfer in January, if the club proves that they cannot sign him. Any exit would represent a quick exit, considering the 26-year-old La Masia product only returned to Camp Nou in a £51m deal in the summer.

With Manchester City and Arsenal also in the frame, securing a deal for the former RB Leipzig man could be tricky, but there are plenty of reasons to suggest he would be a worthwhile investment.

What Dani Olmo would bring to Man Utd

Although injury and eligibility have been a factor in an early season for Olmo, the playmaker has still managed to make his mark for Hansi Flick’s side, scoring five goals in just 11 league outings.

In the Champions League, the outstanding Dinamo Zagreb star has also chipped in with a goal and an assist in four appearances, in such fine form following his outstanding Euro 2024 campaign, in which he contributed three goals and two assists on the way to La Liga. Roja’s glorious triumph.

Able to operate in a number ten berth, or on the flanks, Olmo looks ready for Amorim’s 3-4-3 setup, especially with also played in this system during his days in Germany under Julian Nagelsmann.

It could then be argued that the Red Devils missed a trick by not snapping him up earlier, with former United star Louis Saha suggesting as much in September, while insisting the Barca were in a”bracket similar to Bruno Fernandes“.

A playful and goalscoring presence like Fernandes, as it shows 63 goals and assists in 148 games for Leipzig – Olmo could represent the perfect replacement or successor for the Portuguese, with the possibility of the United skipper also dropping deeper into the midfield two.

In essence, having Olmo operating behind the striker would be akin to using a right-footed Amad, and the pair are considered to be statistically similar players in their position across Europe’s top five leagues. according to FBref.

In fact, Olmo is the average 0.72 goals and assists per game in 2024/25 so far, while Amad is just behind, averaging 0.68 in that regard. Likewise, the pair are also similar in their work off the ball, with Olmo ranking among the top 17% across Europe for entries made over the last 365 days, while his United counterpart is just ahead as he is in the top 3% in this sense.

This similarity can also be seen in his ability to beat a man down the flank, with Olmo with an average of 1.4 successful dribbles per game in the League this season, while Amad an average of 1.5 for this same metric in the Premier League. It certainly bodes well for what the Barcelona native could bring to the Theater of Dreams to help strengthen Amorim’s creative and attacking options.

Having found that man Fernandes in the January window in 2020, the Red Devils could repeat this trick with another statement signing in 2025.

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