Last year, Diallo excelled while on loan at Sunderland.
Without a doubt, Amad Diallo’s loan from Manchester United to Sunderland during the 2022–23 season will be remembered.
The winger made a brief transfer to the Stadium of Light in the summer of 2022 after having a disappointing run with Rangers during the second half of the 2021/22 season.
That would turn out to be far more beneficial for everyone concerned. Diallo made 42 appearances for the Black Cats across all competitions during his time with the team, contributing four assists along with 14 goals.
Those contributions helped Sunderland to reach the Championship play-offs in their first season back in the second-tier, after four years in League One.
Indeed, Diallo’s contributions for the Black Cats saw him named their Young Player of the Year, while also being named as the PFA Fans Championship Player of the Year.
Now it seems as though the prospect of a return to Sunderland in the near future for Diallo, has once again started to emerge.
Could Diallo sign for Sunderland for a second time?
Following his return to Manchester United following that loan spell with Sunderland, the winger suffered a significant knee injury in pre-season.
As a result, the 21-year-old is so far yet to make a single competitive appearance for Erik ten Hag’s side, during the current campaign.
But with Diallo now close to completing his recovery, he and his club must start to think about building up his match fitness again, something it seems Sunderland could help with.
Recent iNews sources state that, should United choose to do so in order to improve the winger’s fitness, the Black Cats would be open to putting Diallo out on loan once more during the January transfer window in order to give him game time.
For many people associated with Sunderland, given the success he had with the team during his previous tenure, that prospect would undoubtedly be thrilling.
There is a case to be made, though, that one present Black Cats player would undoubtedly be forced to consider his immediate future if Diallo were to return to the Stadium of Light in January on loan.
What could a return to Sunderland for Diallo mean for Jewison Bennette?
While Diallo joined Sunderland from Manchester United last summer, another winger who made the move to the North East of England to join the Black Cats, who at the time were still under the management of Alex Neil, was Jewison Bennette.
Joining from Herediano in his native Costa Rica, the 19-year-old played something of a bit-part role last season, when he made 15 Championship appearances for the Black Cats.
However, his involvement has reduced even further this season, with Benette playing just nine minutes of the club’s 11 league games this season, settling for an unusued substitute role in a further six Championship matches.
Given the impact and importance that Diallo showed for Sunderland last season, not to mention the need for him to play regularly to build up his fitness, the fact that both he and Bennette are capable of playing on either wing, means the return of the Manchester United man, would surely push the latter down the order.
You feel therefore, that if a reunion with Diallo does happen, you feel that Bennette may need to look for a loan move of his own in January, to ensure he too can enjoy the game time he wants to get this season.
If he does not get those opportunities at senior level, then after such a quiet period recently, there may be a risk of him stalling on the progress he has made since arriving at The Stadium of Light.
Given Diallo’s own move back to Sunderland would likely only be temporary, they can ill afford to risk that happening for Bennette, given the part they may need him to play in the future.
As a result, you get the feeling that if Diallo does return to Sunderland in January, it ought to be on a one in, one out basis in the loan market, with Bennette heading away from the club to find a new temporary home for himself as well.
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