It hasn’t been the season Amad would’ve hoped for at Manchester United, although it would be foolish to write the Ivorian off just yet. He’s no stranger to overcoming hurdles.
Indeed, the 23-year-old is the embodiment of perseverance and patience, having had to fight tooth and nail for a regular starting role at Old Trafford, following his arrival from Atalanta back in January 2021.
Despite memorably netting a first United goal that season against AC Milan, it wasn’t until the 2023/24 campaign that the diminutive winger was truly considered a first-team player under Erik ten Hag, even while making only 12 appearances.
That was followed by a breakthrough 2024/25 that ended with 21 goals and assists across all fronts, and while only four goal involvements have come since then, his importance to Michael Carrick‘s side is not in question.
Gambling on a relatively unknown 17-year-old has certainly paid off as far as the Red Devils are concerned, with a potential repeat on the cards this summer.
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A notable theme of recent years has been United’s willingness to invest in the future, be it plucking a 16-year-old Alejandro Garnacho from Atletico Madrid in 2020, or signing both Chido Obi and Ayden Heaven from Arsenal under the INEOS regime.
The current hierarchy have also looked further afield too of late, bringing Paraguayan teenager Diego Leon to club last summer, after initially striking a deal back in January 2025, while Ecuadorian midfielder, Cristian Orozco, is also set to arrive in Manchester when he turns 18 later this year.
There appears to be a desire to seek out the very best from the South American market, in particular, a trend that could well follow with the addition of Palmeiras teenager, Eduardo Conceicao.
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As reported by UOL, there is a sense that the Red Devils are set to lodge an imminent offer for the 16-year-old, with the piece noting that a bid of €40m (£34m) is set to be made ‘in the coming days’.
Jason Wilcox and co appear keen to move swiftly amid rival interest in the Brazilian from the City Football Group, while the likes of Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and a raft of other Premier League clubs are also showing an interest.
The report suggests that while Conceicao has a €100m (£87m) release clause in his current contract, which can be triggered by clubs outside Brazil, Palmeiras would be looking for a fee closer to €50m (£43m).
Any deal for the youngster would be one eye on the future, however, as he cannot move until he turns 18 in December 2027.
Why Conceicao could be another Amad for Man Utd
The summer of 2020 isn’t one that United will look back favourably on, with the likes of Edinson Cavani, Alex Telles, Donny van de Beek and Facundo Pellistri all enduring mixed spells at the Theatre of Dreams.
|
Amad’s Man Utd record |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Coach |
Games |
Goals (Assists) |
|
Amorim |
43 |
10 (11) |
|
Ten Hag |
24 |
3 (2) |
|
Carrick |
12 |
0 (0) |
|
OGS |
8 |
1 (1) |
|
RvN |
4 |
2 (1) |
|
Rangnick |
1 |
0 (0) |
|
Fletcher |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Total |
92 |
16 (15) |
A frantic finale to that extended window did see the club quietly secure a deal for the aforementioned Amad, ahead of a winter switch a few months later, with the Red Devils investing between £19m and £37m in a player who had played just a handful of games in Italy.
As last season showcased, in particular, going big on a player with minimal first-team experience seemingly paid off, with Amad now a mainstay in Manchester, having penned an extended deal until 2030.
Such a sizeable investment was a risk at the time, but it has more than paid off, with the same potentially set to be true with regard to Conceicao, provided a deal can be struck.
Indeed, the teen sensation would be following in the footsteps of a raft of young Brazilians who have made marquee moves in their teenage years, be it Rodrygo and Vinicius Junior at Real Madrid, Estevao at Chelsea or Rayan at Bournemouth this season.
Like that quartet, Conceicao – or ‘Dudu’ as he is often known – is another exceptionally exciting winger, typically operating off the left but also comfortable on the opposite side or as a centre-forward.
He hasn’t yet made a first-team appearance for Palmeiras, although he boasts eight goals and assists in just 13 games for the club’s U20 side, having already thrived well above his age group.
On the international stage too, the £42m-rated speedster has particularly impressed in recent weeks at the U17 CONMEBOL championship, scoring and assisting four times in just five outings, while averaging a stellar 4.2 successful dribbles per game.
Like Amad, much of his game appears to centre around driving at players and weaving his way past defenders with ease, already looking the part at the age of just 16.
He certainly won’t come cheap, although if INEOS don’t strike now, he could become far more costly later down the line.
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