Amad Diallo, on loan Man United's player at Sunderland, shared a heartfelt three-word message on Instagram prior to what would be his final home match for the Black Cats.
Yesterday at a sold-out Stadium of Light, Diallo's team welcomed Watford as the play-off race nears a dramatic finish.
The Black Cats were knocked out of the top six by Millwall's victory at Blackpool last night, but they can reclaim their place in the playoffs with a win over Watford this afternoon.
Even though a mistake wouldn't necessarily end their chances of promotion, it would leave them with too much work to do on the final day given the number of clubs vying for the final two play-off spots.
It's an even larger occasion for Diallo because it might be his final game at the Stadium of Light as a loanee from Manchester United.
The 20-year-old will have another opportunity to play at the Black Cats' home stadium if Sunderland advances to the play-offs, but that is still uncertain.
Before the game began, Amad Diallo posted an emotional message on Instagram.
Diallo is scheduled to return to Old Trafford in the summer, but it is unknown what will happen to him after that.
There have been rumors that Erik ten Hag wants to evaluate Diallo in the summer before deciding on his career path.
This week, Tony Mowbray acknowledged that he would love to re-sign the forward but that a potential agreement might be contingent on the Black Cats earning promotion.
The most important thing is sending him somewhere where he'll receive enough of minutes after thriving in the Championship. Man United may believe that sending him on loan to the Premier League is the logical next step after he succeeded there.
Sunderland, where he has undoubtedly enjoyed his game, would undoubtedly be able to offer him that for the upcoming season, whether or not they are a top division team.
Saturday afternoon game was huge, and Diallo might play a crucial part if Mowbray is correct and Premier League football needs to be secured.
Amad, Manchester United's youngster, has indicated how he wants to establish himself as a first-team regular at Old Trafford and how he intends to contribute to Erik ten Hag's plans for next season.
The 20-year-old has scored 11 goals in 34 games while on loan at Sunderland this season after Tony Mowbray made him a regular starter. In the 4-4 draw with Hull on Friday, Amad scored twice as the Black Cats battled for a playoff spot in the Championship.
Amad moved to United from Atalanta in 2021 for an initial £19 million that could increase to £37 million. The forward made one of his nine first-team appearances in a 1-1 Europa League knockout match against AC Milan two months after moving to Manchester.
After a disappointing loan with Rangers, Amad returned to United and played prominently for Erik ten Hag throughout preseason until another loan agreement was reached. The Ivorian has thrived at Stadium of Light, winning over the crowd and impressing manager Mowbray to the point where he begged United not to call up the striker in January.
Amad revealed his goals after returning to United, but he still has one eye on the future. He told FourFourTwo: "I haven't played at my best for them [United] yet, but I hope I can come back next season and show my skill. My ultimate goal is to play regularly for Manchester United.
Amad started in United's final-day 2-1 victory over Wolves in May 2021, which was his last competitive senior appearance for the team. He recorded his first first-team assist against Leicester two weeks prior, a 2-1 loss.
With his thrilling season, Amad Diallo and United supporters appear to have renewed faith in his ability to flourish at Old Trafford and live up to the large £37 million price tag paid by the team when he was just 18 years old.
The young player, who named Anthony Elanga and Bruno Fernandes as his two best friends in Manchester, may look forward to meeting them when he rejoins the Red Devils after bidding farewell to his Sunderland teammates.
"Paul Pogba and Edinson Cavani were [United players when I signed] and it was fantastic to meet them," he told FourFourTwo. "I have a good friendship with Pogba, and also with Bruno Fernandes and Anthony Elanga. They all made me feel welcome."
Fewer familiar faces will be there to welcome Diallo back into the fold before next season due to the exits of Pogba and Cavani, but the winger is unfazed by this and is still determined to prove his worth to the fans while wearing the illustrious red jersey.
"I haven’t shown my best for them yet, but I hope next season I can return and prove my talent," he added. "My dream is to play regular football at Manchester United. I know [my transfer] was a lot of money, but I didn’t really think about that."
"There’s no reason to worry about things you can’t influence. I was so happy to sign for Manchester United: it’s a club with a massive history, famous all around the world.
"I remember my first training session after I joined: I was very nervous; there were some huge stars in the dressing room and I was looking around thinking, ‘Wow, I can’t believe I’m here’."
Amad has three assists to go along with his 11 goals for Sunderland. The season's end will mark the end of his loan period.
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