Manchester United fans had still secretly pinned hopes on the arrival of Jadon Sancho on the final day of the transfer market. The name of Ousmane Dembélé was also circulating at Old Trafford. Both attackers did not come. Yet the club management still spent tens of millions just before the transfer window closed. After attracting Donny van de Beek, Alex Telles and Edinson Cavani, the arrival of Atalanta talent Amad Diallo was announced to the world. The eighteen-year-old winger is the great stranger who occupies a high position in the list of the most expensive purchases of the Red Devils, and that while he only made 24 minutes playing minutes at the highest level.

At the start of the transfer summer, it was expected that United would get away with Sancho. Borussia Dortmund preferred not to let him go and declined bids from Manchester. Where the fans kept hope for the arrival of the England international, the club management switched. Despite rumors about the possible arrival of Dembélé, attention was shifted to a player who had only smelled the great work at Atalanta. Amad Diallo, previously called Amad Traoré, will join the selection of manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in January at the earliest. Manchester United would have preferred to have him join immediately, but it takes a lot of time to prepare his work permit and passport.

It remains to be seen whether United has struck a good deal. Several agents have serious doubts, according to a survey by The Athletic. The English platform decided to ask eighteen advocates about the worst deals of the last transfer window and Diallo’s name was often mentioned. After Edinson Cavani (free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain to Manchester United), Donny van de Beek (for up to 44 million euros from Ajax to Manchester United) and Nathan Aké (for 45.3 million euros from Bournemouth to Manchester City), the Caretakers cite Diallo as the worst Premier League deal.

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Manchester United will initially pay a transfer fee of 21 million euros to Atalanta. That amount can increase even further because both clubs have agreed on multiple bonuses. Via variables, the total transfer fee of this eighteen-year-old attacker can rise to no less than forty million euros. This amount puts Diallo just outside the top ten most expensive purchases in the Premier League club’s history. For comparison: for players such as Wayne Rooney (37 million euros), Memphis Depay (34 million euros) and Alexis Sánchez (34 million euros), Robin van Persie (30.7 million euros), Ruud van Nistelrooij (28.5 million euros) ) and Cristiano Ronaldo (19 million euros) was paid less. Sure, prices in the transfer market have gone through the roof in recent years, but it is telling that United is putting a massive transfer fee on the table for an 18-year-old who has yet to prove himself.

Manchester United really wanted to recruit Diallo and interest has not come out of the blue. According to English media, the English top club had been chasing the talent for four years. In 2016, the top talent first appeared on the radar of the club’s scouts. The attacker was only fifteen years old at the time, but already made a big impression in Atalanta’s shirt. The club management of United decided to keep a close eye on Diallo’s development. He continued to impress, leading the scouting department to judge him as a potential purchase even before he made his debut in the Atalanta first team on October 27, 2019. On that day, the Ivorian made history against Udinese. He came in after 77 minutes of play, Atalanta was already 6-1 ahead. Five minutes after his substitution, he was played by Marten de Roon. Diallo was barely on the opponent’s half and started a rush, then scored with a long shot.

At 17 years and 109 days, he became the youngest player to score on his Serie A debut. This is not expected to be the last record Diallo will break. Anyone who has followed Diallo’s early career closely will agree that he is one of the most promising teenagers in Italian football. Before being added to Atalanta’s youth academy, he went on trial with Juventus, Internazionale and AC Milan. The youth international is water-fast and likes to play from the right, despite being left-legged. Diallo has a distinctive playing style; he likes to come in from the flank to fire at the goal with a shot. Because of his way of playing, he has been compared to Lionel Messi in Italy. “He plays like Messi. In practice we sometimes have to kick him to stop him ”, said Alejandro ‘Papu’ Gómez, Atalanta midfielder and also Messi’s colleague with the Argentina national team.

Despite Diallo being seen as a tremendous talent and has always attracted a lot of interest, his transfer to Manchester United came as a surprise in the Italian football world. The expectation was that he would leave for Parma on a rental basis. At Atalanta his chances of playing time were limited, while Parma could use him well. The latter club therefore learned with great surprise and disappointment that Diallo was suddenly on his way to Old Trafford. Parma director Alessandro Lucarelli was left with great anger on the final day of the transfer market. “You should ask Atalanta about Diallo,” said Lucarelli to the opposite Sky Italia. “We had an agreement, but then negotiations with Manchester United started. They sold it, while we could have used it well. ”

Manchester United supporters should not expect Diallo to be tied when he joins Solskjaer’s roster in January. He will need time to get used to the level, his new teammates, the playing style, the competition and a different environment. He also faces a lot of competition, as Solskjaer has plenty of choice in the forefront. Mason Greenwood and Daniel James are hoping for playing time, while newcomer Facundo Pellistri can also play as a winger and Manchester United have still not given up the fight for the signature of Jadon Sancho. English media assume that the right winger of Borussia Dortmund will be recruited in January and otherwise in the summer of next year. The competition is therefore huge for Diallo, but nevertheless the scouts think they are sure that he can be of added value. If not this season, or somewhere in the near future. Diallo may not be the purchase United fans expected, but it may be the one that could surprise the most.