Amad is actually so good you could play him anywhere but in which position can Ruben Amorim get the best out of his now 23 year old? Happy belated birthday to him.
As he is now 23, Amad is no longer a young lad. You could consider him one of the more senior? players if you wanted as he has been around for a bit.
This next season is perhaps his biggest at the club and may even be a make or break for the Ivorian. After loan spells at Rangers and Sunderland, we've seen him develop into the top talent he is today but we all know that this guy has such a high ceiling and can reach incredible heights given his footballing ability.
He also seems to have his head screwed on correctly unlike others. A great attitude and a top player is exactly what is needed at a club like United.
This season, his sixth as a United player after signing in the 20/21 transfer window, is crucial for him but Amad will have to stay away from injuries as that has been a bit of a problem for him especially in the last two seasons. He was out with knee injury and fitness issues in 23/24 and with an ankle problem last season. This kept him out for 223 days and 42 games for United. That is kind of a lot and what's even more concerning is that he was obviously younger then than he is now.
There was also the falling out with Erik ten Hag which to this day, nobody could understand why the Dutchman decided to drop him for no bloody reason. We all saw how foolish that decision was with the way he performed under Ruben Amorim. Let's hope for no more of these falling outs 😅.
Speaking of the current manager, with his 3-4-2-1/3-4-3 formation, it does allow for players to play in a number of different positions. Amad is one such player.
Amorim has used the 23 year old as a right wing-back and right-sided no 10. Traditionally, Amad has been more of a right-winger than either of a RWB or CAM. Those are roles he can do but not his specialty.
The right wing-back under Amorim or in any 3-4-3 is a demanding position. The player will need to have a number of attributes such as being strong defensively but a force to be reckoned with going forward. An unbelievable running power is needed in order to get up and down the pitch like a madman whilst also being able to understand the tactics required of a player in that position.
As Amorim's system has two no 10s, it makes it a bit different to that of the traditional single attacking midfielder. You play as one of two halves as a mix of a playmaker and inside forward.
To be able to play in such a position in this formation, you will need to initiate the press at times, understand how to be flexible in your positioning and understanding of different circumstances in games in which you will have to adapt your game, have creativity in the final third and an attacking presence, be brilliant on the ball (dribbling, technicality, vision) and runs beyond the striker.
Does Amad have the abilities to play in these positions?
His attributes I believe are better suited to the number 10 because I feel that with RWB, you have to be really good defensively which he isn't. That is a key component of playing in that position.
When it comes to going forward, Amad ticks all of the boxes. He's quick, tricky, creative, good at 1-v-1s, and scores and assits. The 23 year old also has good work rate and can be decent in initiating that high press.
I also believe that the work rate needed of a wing-back is much more than that of a no 10. Although you still have to work hard as a CAM, the stamina required isn't as heavy on a player compared to down the flanks.
To be able to get up and down the pitch may not be too much of a problem for Amad but to then be able to support the team in attack (overlapping runs, link up play, creating chances) and then drop into a back five without the ball and be a solid defender, might be where he comes undone.
Interestingly enough though, Amad has been used more as a right wing-back under Amorim than as an attacking midfielder. He's played out wide on 13 occasions compared to 11 as a no 10.
While his traits may imply that Amad is better served as a no 10, he's actually had more goal contributions from out wide too, 8 goals and assists versus 4 as an attacking midfielder. 3 of those 8 came in the game in which he scored that 10 minute hat-trick against Southampton to save our arses.
While these numbers may suggest otherwise, Amad for me at least, is still better as a no 10. Whether that's the position to get the best out of him is another matter. We've often seen him get overloaded as oppositions can sometimes put three players on him to try and stop him. This happens when he's out wide as well.
What I will say is that when he is playing on the flank be it right-winger or right wing-back, he seems to be able to run at defenders more and use more of his best attributes. As a no 10, you may not have as much space and time to take players on and such.
In the end, his best position to get the best out of him is the old school right-wing. That is Amad's best position.
That is not going to be the case however, given Amorim doesn't play with traditional wingers. With the signing of Cunha and potential Mbeumo, those are two more no 10s meaning that Amad playing in the psotion he is better suited to may not be as regular as we might think.
A part of me also believes that the manager wants to use him as a RWB insted of attacking midfielder. Unless something crazy happens in training and in games where we see Amad become someone like a Jeremie Frimpong, he is just not suited to being a wing-back. His skinnier build is also not one of a defensive player.
Playing him on the right and having two other no 10s with Bruno as a no 8 will mean more attackers on the field but it may not be the best nor most balanced lineup. There will also be glaring weaknesses that could find us in trouble.
There are also enough full-backs/wing-backs to play as that right wing-back (Mazraoui, Dalot, Dorgu) so there's no need to panic and have to play Amad there when he isn't the best for that role.
But that's what I think 🤷♂️.
What about you? Where do you think Amad's best position is? Where can we get the best out of him?
I suppose more importantly, where does Amorim think Amad is best suited?
Amad has a big season ahead in 25/26 for Man Utd | Amad: Creator: Carl Recine | Credit: Getty Images Copyright: 2025 Getty Images via Man Utd News