Giovanni Van Bronckhorst’s spell at Glasgow Rangers was certainly a mixed bag, that’s for sure. Of course, he ended the club’s 13-year winless drought in the Scottish Cup, with the Gers defeating Hearts 2-0 in 2022.
The Dutchman was also the man in charge of the side which reached the Europa League final that very same season, masterminding stunning wins over Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig on the way to Seville.
That showpiece in Spain may not have ended in favour of Rangers, but hopes were high that they could win trophies under Van Bronckhorst heading into the 2022/23 campaign.
His record domestically wasn’t the greatest, as the swashbuckling European style didn’t exactly work to the same degree at grounds such as Tannadice and Easter Road.
The former defender also had a poor record in the transfer market, spending money on players who failed to really live up to expectations…
Rangers signings under Giovanni van Bronckhorst
During his first summer transfer window, the manager spent £4m on signing Ben Davies from Liverpool, £3m on Rabbi Matondo from Schalke and £1.8m on Antonio Colak from PAOK.
Elsewhere, John Souttar and Tom Lawrence arrived on free transfers, while Malik Tillman joined on a loan deal until the end of the campaign.
It was a mixed bag indeed, with only Matondo, Souttar and Lawrence still part of the current squad. This window wasn’t as bad as the January one, however.
Van Bronckhorst made three loan signings which were expected to bolster his squad during the second half of the 2021/22 season: Aaron Ramsey, James Sands and Amad Diallo.
Rangers signings under Giovanni Van Bronckhorst | |
|---|---|
Player | Club signed from |
Aaron Ramsey | Juventus (loan) |
James Sands | New York City (loan) |
Amad Diallo | Man United (loan) |
Mateusz Zukowski | Lechia Gdańsk |
Malik Tilllman | Bayern Munich (loan) |
John Souttar | Hearts |
Tom Lawrence | Derby County |
Antonio Colak | PAOK |
Ridvan Yilmaz | Besiktas |
Ben Davies | Liverpool |
Rabbi Matondo | Schalke |
While Ramsey went down a storm among the supporters, the other two failed to inspire much confidence, especially as Celtic were fighting hard for domestic honours.
Diallo was certainly a wildcard signing, but he didn’t make the most of his time in Glasgow, which, considering his age and experience, was perhaps expected.
Amad Diallo’s Rangers statistics
The young winger cost Manchester United a staggering £19m in January 2021, despite playing only five senior games for Atalanta.
It was a massive gamble by the Old Trafford side, with Diallo making nine appearances for the club before moving to Glasgow on loan.
The Ivorian had plenty of talent and promise, but it was evident that the physical nature of Scottish football could prove detrimental to his development.
After just five minutes of his debut, however, this theory looked like it would be proven wrong as he netted the opener against Ross County.
He started the next game, a chastising 3-0 defeat to Celtic in which he barely had a sniff of the ball, and it clearly affected his confidence. The winger started just four more games for the Light Blues after that, scoring twice.
He did end up with a Scottish Cup winners medal, but bringing someone with such little experience as the club was chasing honours, both domestically and in Europe, was a strange one.
Fast-forward two and a half years and Diallo is finally making his mark for United, showcasing the talent that made the club splash out nearly £20m to sign him in the first place.
Amad Diallo’s Man United statistics
Before making it at the Red Devils, Diallo continued his apprenticeship out on loan, this time during the 2022/23 campaign with Sunderland.
In 42 games for the Black Cats, the winger scored 14 goals and grabbed four assists as the club secured a spot in the playoffs.
He returned to United a better player, but a knee ligament meant his first appearance of 2023/24 didn’t arrive until the end of December.
Overall, 12 appearances, two goals and one assist hardly signify the best of times, yet Diallo became a hero for the club as he scored an extra-time winner against Liverpool in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup. By the end of the season, he had added a winners medal to his collection, setting himself up nicely for the current campaign.
He enjoyed fleeting moments of promise under Erik ten Hag, but it was under the tutelage of caretaker manager Ruud van Nistelrooy when Diallo came alive.
Two goals and an assist during his four matches in charge indicate Diallo could be a big success for Ruben Amorim.
“He has been incredible actually in training, he was never affected by not playing. He always trains well and is asking me to do more. That’s an example.” Said the former striker following United’s win over PAOK in the Europa League.
Where Are They Now
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If he can remain fit, there is no reason why the Ivorian cannot keep his place out wide under the new manager, especially when everyone will be starting from scratch.
Amad Diallo’s market valuation at Man United
While it was clear the club overpaid for the player three years ago, it now looks as though he is finally beginning to increase his market valuation.
Indeed, according to Transfermarkt, Diallo is now valued at €22m (£18m), with this number continuing to rise, especially if his performances improve in the near future.
The move to Rangers came a bit too soon in his career, although he did show flashes of his genius during his spell in Scotland.
In the end, Diallo was never going to get the time to thrive on the ball, especially with defenders earmarking him as a weak spot in the starting XI.
There is no doubt Rangers have missed the boat on him now, as he looks to cement his place in the starting XI under Amorim, who could push the African to new heights over the coming months, that’s for sure.
A flop at Rangers, but a star in the making at United. Diallo is trending upwards. For that is a certainty.
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