Rangers signed Amad Diallo in January 2022 with an expectation that he would fire us to the Scottish Premiership title.
A goal and an assist – via a deflected shot – on his debut against Ross County suggested that the Man Utd wonderkid might just live up to that billing.
The problem was, that there was little he could do about the calamities at the other end of the park that saw the Gers drop points on an all too regular occurrence.
Diallo was made a scapegoat after a Parkhead shocker but, the 20-year old has begun to rebuild his reputation with a solid loan spell in the Championship with Sunderland, scoring 12 goals in the process.
It’s just a shame that he couldn’t produce that sort of form when it mattered most, sleepless nights about Diallo not squaring it to Fashion Sakala at Tannadice not quite a distant memory.
Where does Amad Diallo’s future lie, is Rangers an option?
Speaking to Football Insider, Rangers TV pundit Alan Hutton reckons that he will get his shot at Old Traffford but that he is frustrated that we never got to see the real Amad Diallo in action at Ibrox.
“I am kind of disappointed because when he first came to Rangers that is what we were expecting, that high energy, trickery and ability that he has shown at Sunderland.
“He did not quite manage it, maybe that was the pressure of going to the big club.
“The good thing for him is having Erik ten Hag. I think he would give somebody the opportunity if he feels that they are worthy of it.
“If he comes back and has a good pre-season then the opportunity will be there and if not he might have to move on. It is up to him and how much he wants it.“
Older, wiser and more experienced players than Diallo have crumbled under the pressure at Rangers, several coming up from English football thinking that it was going to be a stroll in the park.
The problem right wing position has been one that three managers have tried, and failed, to address successfully with the Ivory Coast international showing that it takes more than reputation, transfer fee and potential to make it at Ibrox.
Hutton is right though, Amad Diallo at Sunderland now looks every inch the player that we thought we were getting but with a contract that ends in 2025 and a £19million price tag, he won’t be returning to Ibrox any time soon.
