Amad ‘getting closer’ to starting for first team - Ole

OLE Gunnar Solskjaer says Amad is getting closer to a first start for Manchester United.

The 18-year-old made his debut in the Europa League round-of-32 thrashing of Real Sociedad in February and came on at half-time to score in the last-16 draw with AC

Milan in March.

Amad received his first call-up to the Ivory Coast senior squad for their Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers last month but is yet to make his full debut for his new club.

He is in the squad for tonight’s game in Granada and boss Solskjaer may choose the tie to give him more game time.

Injuries to Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford have led to the inclusion of teenager Anthony Elanga in the travelling squad for the Europa League quarter-final first leg in Spain’s Andalucia region.

“Of course he is (close to a start). He’s getting more and more used to our expectation and the training and the level of the intensity in the games over here,” Solskjaer said of Amad.

“He did well when he played against Milan, definitely, a bright start and we’re gradually going to see him play more and more and a start might come now, it might come in a little while.”

Amad is also yet to make his Premier League bow and has been an unused substitute in United’s last six league games.

United have eight more games in the league this term and are five wins away from securing Champions League football next term.