Harry Amass could prove former Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag right at Sheffield Wednesday
Harry Amass has established himself as a fans’ favourite at Sheffield Wednesday since arriving from Manchester United.
“Why send him to Sheffield Wednesday?”
That was the question being asked by umpteen Manchester United fans when it emerged towards the end of the summer transfer window that Harry Amass could be moving to Hillsborough on loan.
Understandably, United supporters had caught wind of the ongoing troubles in S6 and were struggling to fathom out why the club would send one of their most exciting prospects into an environment that was far from rosy.
The answer was simple: United knew the 18-year-old would get regular game time. Since joining Wednesday on September 1, Amass has stored 878 Championship minutes under his belt, making ten starts out of a possible ten.
The youngster, who made his United debut back in March, stepping off the bench in a 3-0 win over Leicester City at the King Power Stadium, has made a very quick impression at Hillsborough, nailing down the left wing-back berth. He has earned regular praise from both the supporters and manager Henrik Pedersen.
Amass delivered another solid performance in Wednesday night’s 1-1 draw with Norwich City at Hillsborough, both offensively and defensively. His technical ability and his willingness to get on the ball and drive up the pitch has earned him plenty of plaudits.
Although Amass, who was named as a substitute for Watford’s FA Cup third round tie with Reading in January 2023 at the age of just 15, can count himself lucky enough to have made his United debut on what was his 18th birthday, it should have arrived much, much sooner.
The teenager went on United’s pre-season tour of the United States in 2024 and started each of their three stateside friendlies. Although pre-season friendlies are often fairly dull and forgettable contests, Amass’ performances offered United supporters a glimpse into the future.
On a tour that featured defeats to Arsenal (2-1) and Liverpool (3-0) and a 3-2 win over Real Betis, Amass started all three games at left-back. He was arguably United’s best player on the tour, and it looked as though he would be the next youngster to permanently break into the first-team at Old Trafford, with some suggesting he could follow in Kobbie Mainoo’s footsteps, after he had starred on the previous summer’s tour.
Former United manager Erik ten Hag said: “He is not that far along now [as Mainoo was] at this moment, but if we train him well, if we coach him well, then in three months it’s possible that he can be at that point.
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“But in this moment he needs to catch up and he has to develop some of the skills needed to play for Manchester United, when we are competing for the highest position in the league. But with big talent it can go very quickly and it is very interesting to see if he is capable of doing this.”
Following the success of his pre-season performances, it looked as though Amass would make his competitive debut for United against Manchester City at Wembley in the Community Shield. However, much to everyone’s surprise, he was left out of the matchday squad.
Amass could prove Ten Hag right sooner rather than later
Ten Hag, for some reason, continued to overlook Amass prior to being sacked by United last October. His successor, Ruben Amorim, awarded him seven appearances before the end of last term, including four Premier League starts.
Equipping himself well against some seasoned Premier League operators, Amass impressed Amorim, who praised him after he had made his first Premier League start away at Newcastle United.
"I think he did quite well," Amorim said. “He caught a player that is really fast, he debuted in maybe one of the hardest stadiums with one team that is in a good moment.
“I think he did really well. He needs to continue and we need to help all these young kids to perform in a higher level."
After being left out of United’s pre-season tour squad for the summer just gone, it was fairly obvious United wanted to get him out on loan, accepting the next step in his development was for him to secure regular first-team football.
Hillsborough was identified as the perfect location for Amass to secure that, and it is already turning out to be a masterstroke decision by the Reds, who agreed to cover all the costs involved in the deal.
Wednesday have made some shrewd loan signings in recent years, most notably Shea Charles last season, and Amass’ performances and potential have already left most Owls fans purring. They know a talented player when they see one.
Amass’ technical ability, his composure on the ball, and his improvement in his defensive game since arriving in S6 make him a very exciting prospect. If he continues on the path he is currently on, he could end up proving Ten Hag right and becoming an Old Trafford regular.