Amad Diallo prediction comes as bad news for Birmingham City, Sunderland and Watford: View | OneFootball

Recent predictions about Manchester United's Amad Diallo will come as bad news to some Championship clubs, with Birmingham City, Watford and Sunderland all reportedly interested in the winger.

The Ivory Coast international enjoyed a fantastic spell on loan with the Black Cats last season, but returned to his parent club in the summer in an attempt to force his way into the starting eleven.

While he was given time at the club in pre-season, injury halted his progression, and Diallo was forced to sit out the first half of the Premier League campaign while he recovered.

Now that he's back to full fitness, a number of Championship clubs are in for his signature, although they will have suffered some bad news from the latest reports on the United forward's future.

In what will be disappointing news for a number of clubs, it looks like Diallo will remain at United next year, scuppering any chances of a loan deal for the likes of Sunderland, Birmingham or Watford in the summer.

Journalist Dean Jones revealed to GiveMeSport that he believes Diallo will get more chances to play regularly at United next season, despite his disappointing spell out of the team so far this year.

However, he warns that the Ivorian will need to prove his talent in the chances he gets, to show Ten Hag he has what it takes to become a key player for the Red Devils: "But, with somebody like Diallo, I've got a feeling that Manchester United have got a player that they can actually start to call upon much more regularly next season.

"But he has got to get those chances across the rest of this season to really prove that he can cut it, and I do believe that he will get that chance."

Fabrizio Romano also reported that Diallo was important to the manager's plans this season, which is why he was not loan away from the club in the January transfer window.

Watford and Birmingham City were reportedly in for Diallo, according to a report from The Sun. The Championship sides are linked with a summer loan move for the Ivorian forward, who has struggled to find game time at Old Trafford this season.

A pre-season injury kept him off the pitch until December, but since his return, Diallo has only managed a single appearance for United. This was a substitute appearance in the club's loss to Nottingham Forest, and he has not found any minutes in the first team since.

The departures of Jadon Sancho and Facundo Pellestri looked like an opportunity for Diallo to become a regular starter for the club, but Ten Hag has instead played Alejandro Garnacho on the right-hand side, with impressive results.

It makes sense why United would want to keep the youngster they paid a reported £19 million fee for in 2021, although it does seem his development would be better suited elsewhere, considering his lack of game time.

The Birmingham interest seems to make the most sense for player and club. Boss Tony Mowbray was in charge of Sunderland when Diallo broke out on loan at the club, netting 14 times and winning the PFA Championship fans' Player of the Year award, so they know he can perform when playing in the manager's team.

However, with the instability at the club and their current league position, the Blues could be a poor option for Diallo. The club are on their third manager this season, and are in a genuine fight for relegation. United would likely want to see how Mowbray can stabilise the club before allowing their players to join in the summer.

Meanwhile, Sunderland have been the most closely linked with the player. Their pursuit of his return carried on throughout the January transfer window, despite Sunderland chief Kristjaan Speakman admitting that it was unlikely the club could make a deal happen this season.

Watford are also linked with the player, clearly impressed by his performances last year at the Stadium of Light. They seem like the outsiders in the race for his signature, considering he has no prior connection to Vicarage Road, unlike at Birmingham and Sunderland.

Diallo would likely greatly improve all the teams mentioned, if he could find his form from his spell at Sunderland last year.

That's why all the clubs linked with the forward will be disappointed that Diallo looks to be staying at Old Trafford next season, although his career could be transformed if he can nail down a place in the starting eleven between now and the end of the season, or indeed in pre-season.