Aston Villa have been backed to complete a mega swoop for a wantaway Man United star.
Aston Villa should forget all about Marcus Rashford and sign a different Manchester United winger, says former striker Stan Collymore.
It will cause a mixed response, but that player is Alejandro Garnacho. The Argentina international is expected to leave Man Utd this summer and he’s been linked with a possible Villa Park switch. The mega £60 million price tag United have reportedly placed on Garnacho would be too much for Villa but, if a compromise can be sought, Collymore thinks he would be a good signing.
Collymore: Villa should sign Garnacho
In an exclusive interview with Birmingham World, Collymore said: “Rumours keep popping up over the last week or so of Garnacho. How would I feel about that? I don’t know. He’s 20, so he would be of the age where you can develop him for sure, like you probably wouldn’t be able to with Marcus Rashford.
“I don’t think the wages would particularly be a problem for Garnacho and he’s going to have to decide at some point: does he want to stay and hang on at Manchester United or does he want to go elsewhere and develop his career?
“Obviously, he speaks the language of Emery and Emery has a track record of developing younger players. You only see what he did with Morgan Rogers coming from Middlesbrough, he had a great season last season and he played a lot of games for Villa as well. He threw him into Champions League games, he threw him into big Premier League games.
“So, I think if Garnacho’s available, he would be fantastic, potentially to come in as an option down the left. I quite like the idea. I think he’s a proven talent, he’s just played in a circus of a football club for so long now that I don’t think any player worth his salt could be consistent in the environment that Manchester United offers.
“If Garnacho was willing to get his head down and find a big club that can help him develop with a management team that can do the same, I think that would be one to watch,” Collymore concluded.
Villa can fund Garnacho swoop with two big sales
As much as Garnacho may well be a strong addition if he were to join, Villa cannot just pluck transfer funds out of thin air. The Villans are currently walking a fine line with the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules (PSR) and need to sell players rather than buy them. Once those issues are out of the way, though, incoming deals are likelier.
Collymore is aware of Villa’s financial troubles and knows they could have a bearing on signing a player as expensive as Garnacho. “I think a lot’s going to depend on Villa’s outgoings,” Collymore added. “I was at the last game of last season and it looks like Leon Bailey was waving as if he was going to go and Emi Martinez was crying.
“From that perspective, a lot is going to depend on Villa’s PSR wiggleroom. I think they will get around that. I certainly think Martinez will go and Villa’s preference will be the club that pays the most money. I know that sounds obvious, but I don’t think they’ll let him go cheaply.
“I know Manchester United have been rumoured. I know Galatasaray have all of a sudden found a pot of gold in Turkey. Of course, Saudi is always an option for a World Cup winner who would give them even more exposure in the Saudi Pro League.”
No official offers have arrived in Villa’s inbox for Martinez or Bailey just yet but it could be just a matter of time. Emery will be hoping the situation is resolved sooner rather than later as the June 30 PSR deadline is coming up quickly. Once that’s passed, Villa can think about strengthening their squad.
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