A Manchester United outcast’s relationship with the club has been strained even further - more or less sealing his fate.
United are looking for a fee of around £60m for the Argentina international, who has been linked with a move to Villa. But given the public nature of his falling out with manager Ruben Amorim and the general awareness that Man United are eager to offload him, a more realistic sale price is thought to be closer to £40m.
Because Garnacho came through United’s academy - having arrived from Atletico Madrid in 2020 - any transfer fee would count as pure profit under the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules (PSR).
The same applies to Marcus Rashford, who also finds himself on the chopping block. Man United would like to sell the forward for a similar amount, but his £300,000-a-week wages are a major obstacle.
A permanent transfer seems unlikely unless Rashford agrees to a wage cut, meaning another loan - potentially to Barcelona - is the most probable outcome.
Garnacho’s Man United career began to unravel in December after a bust-up with Amorim. He was left out of the starting XI for the Europa League final against Tottenham - Man United’s last game of the season and a 1-0 defeat that saw them miss out on European football for only the second time in 35 years.
After the loss, Garnacho publicly criticised Amorim’s decision, prompting a tense confrontation in the dressing room. Amorim reportedly told the winger he should “pray” that another club would take him off the Red Devils’ hands.
Garnacho was then dropped for United’s final Premier League fixture - a 2-0 win over Villa - while his partner Eva Garcia added fuel to speculation by posting a picture of their son’s Man United kit with the caption “Last match” on Instagram.
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