Aston Villa could take advantage of Man Utd’s awkward financial situation to sign an attacker with world-class potential.
Manchester United are in dire straits following Wednesday’s devastating 1-0 Europa League final defeat to Tottenham Hotspur.
Man Utd, resigned to a 16th-placed finish in the Premier League and unable to beat Spurs in Bilbao to secure Champions League qualification, won’t be competing in Europe for the first time in a decade. The Red Devils were already in a difficult financial situation before the disappointing loss to Spurs, but it’s safe to say they’re now in turmoil as their income next season will take a huge hit.
New majority shareholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who has been making controversial cuts since his arrival including making redundancies and scrapping staff benefits, will now have to make more radical decisions. Selling key players is likely a necessity to conform to the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules (PSR) and there will be several stars who will want to jump ship.
Man Utd could lose key player to Aston Villa in blockbuster deal
Aston Villa should exploit United’s weakness by swooping in for a wantaway player this summer – and it’s not Marcus Rashford. The Villans are eager to sign a new versatile forward who can play on either flank or through the middle and Alejandro Garnacho could tick many boxes.
Garnacho has been heavily linked with a move away from Old Trafford as the likes of Chelsea, Napoli, Atletico Madrid and Juventus have shown an interest, with a fee of around £45 million possibly enough to land his services. The eight-time Argentina international, who has been a regular starter for Man Utd in the past two seasons, has contributed a total of 26 goals and 22 assists in 144 club appearances to date.
Famously the scorer of last campaign’s Premier League goal of the season, a stunning overhead kick against Everton, Garnacho has been a frustrated figure throughout 2024/25. The left winger, who can also play on the right or through the middle as a number 10, played a key role in helping Man Utd to the Europa League final but was left on the bench for the big occasion.
“Until the final, I played every round helping the team, then the final arrives and I play 20 minutes?! I don’t know,” Garnacho exclaimed, via Fabrizio Romano. “The final, the season, the whole situation of the club... it’s been difficult for us. We lost the final, we didn’t beaten anyone in the Premier League. This season has been s**t. I will try to enjoy the summer and then we will see what happens.”
It may be a little off-putting to see Garnacho lambast Man Utd so publicly but, to play devil’s advocate, it’s at least a sign of passion and a desire to improve. Unai Emery is brilliant at working with hot-headed players who need direction and Garnacho could be transformed under the Spanish head coach’s wing.
Of course, there’s still the option for Villa to sign Rashford permanently for £40 million at the end of his loan, but it could perhaps be beneficial to splash a little extra cash to sign Garnacho instead. Yes, the Argentine isn’t anywhere near as established or proven as Rashford, but he’s seven years his junior and has so much potential to unlock.
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