Former Sunderland loanee, Amad Diallo, has taken huge strides in his career since his spell at the Stadium of Light, but he hasn’t forgotten what the Black Cats did for him.
After his heroics in the Manchester Derby at the weekend, Amad Diallo has been hailed as one of the hottest young stars in the Premier League.
Much has been said of how impactful his loan spell at Sunderland was, though, with Micah Richards even citing the Black Cats as a key part of Diallo’s rise to fame.
Sunderland and Man Utd fans have been fawning over Diallo since Sunday’s game, but now, it’s the turn of the player himself to show some love for his former club.
Amad Diallo loved his time at Sunderland, Tony Mowbray was highly influential
Speaking to the club’s official website, Diallo reflected on his time on Wearside and how supportive Sunderland were to him, both as a club and a community.
“Sunderland was my second time on loan, and I have a lot of beautiful things to say about the club. They supported me and were unbelievable with me and my family and tried to help me in everything – on and off the pitch.
“They give me a lot of love and I enjoyed every moment of playing for Sunderland – I was so happy to be part of it.”
Diallo also had special praise for Tony Mowbray, citing the former Sunderland manager as a key figure in his development.
“Tony is like my dad – he gave me the opportunity to show what I can do on the pitch. I want to thank him and everyone at the club because they were part of the project to help develop me.
“I wish everyone at Sunderland the best for now and for the future because they are a beautiful club.”
More Premier League youngsters need to spend time at Sunderland
Clearly, Sunderland have a knack for developing young players, whether it be their own or players borrowed from elsewhere.
Indeed, Premier League clubs have been told they should ‘beg’ Sunderland to take their top talent on loan now in light of Diallo’s success.
Surely, Sunderland would be eager to find loanees who can replicate Diallo’s impact in the January transfer window, and hopefully other clubs are just as keen on the idea, too.
As Regis Le Bris continues to push the Black Cats towards promotion, the temporary help of one or two top flight wonderkids would certainly help Sunderland achieve their unlikely dream this season.