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What Alejandro Garnacho did before, during and after Europa League final sums up Man United£60m dilemma

While the rest of his Manchester United teammates were back in the dressing room at San Mames, Alejandro Garnacho lingered on the pitch, his peroxide blond hair making his presence distinctive. He still wore the Paul Smith club suit given to players for the occasion, and while the starting XI were getting their boots on, Garnacho was chatting to former United loanee Sergio Reguilon.

By now, it had become clear that [Garnacho](https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/all-about/alejandro-garnacho) wasn't starting, something first hinted at earlier in the afternoon when the 20-year-old did what 20-year-olds do, and hinted at his frustration on social media. The images of him scoring and celebrating at Wembley last season were a reminder and a rebuke to those who had now axed him for this final.

Garnacho would eventually swap that suit for his kit, and his feet would get a chance to do the taking. He came on with 19 minutes to go and changed the dynamic, forcing Guglielmo Vicario into a sharp save and tormenting Pedro Porro. Several low balls in flashed across the box without a [United](https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/all-about/manchester-united-fc) shirt there to finish the move off.

Then, less than half an hour after it began for Garnacho, it was over. He slumped to his haunches near the centre circle and looked crestfallen. Had he started the game, maybe it would have been different. You can certainly understand why he was annoyed.

Amorim probably didn't help matters when he responded to questions about the winger by pointing out his bad miss in the first half of the second leg of the semi-final against Athletic Club.

“Who missed the big opportunity in the first half in the semi-final? Garnacho. Football is like that," said Amorim.

You could see the point he was trying to make, but it was made a little clumsily. Just down the corridor, Garnacho was preparing to deliver his own version of events. A usually reticent talker, he stopped in the mixed zone to speak to Spanish TV crews and delivered a brutal verdict on the season and his own role in the final.

“Obviously, it’s hard for everyone. Our season was s---,” he said, as reported by AlbicelesteTalk. “We didn’t beat anyone in the league. We lacked a lot of things.

"When you don’t score goals, you always need more. Until we reached the final, I played every round. And I played 20 minutes today… I don’t know. I’m going to try to enjoy the summer and see what happens next."

Garnacho's brother, Roberto, had already taken to Instagram to vent his anger at the way he had been axed from the team for the final.

“Working as no one else, helping every round, coming from two goals in the last two finals, just to be on the pitch for 19 mins and get thrown under the bus. Wowe hahahahahaha,” Roberto Garnacho wrote.

This is the baggage that comes with Garnacho, who has already been dropped once by Amorim due to his attitude. The head coach praised the way the Argentine responded to his demotion from the squad to face Manchester City in December, but this could reopen wounds.

The problem is, the bit Garnacho delivered in the middle on Wednesday night shows why he should remain a valuable member of the squad. He threatened to drag United back into the game and left the impression that they would have stood more of a chance had he started.

No matter what happens against Aston Villa on Sunday, no United player will have played in more games than Garnacho this season, who made his 58th appearance of the campaign in the final. This isn't a fringe player we're talking about.

But the feeling persists that he is an uneasy tactical fit for Amorim. Garnacho is desperate to play as a winger, but now has a head coach who doesn't use them. He hasn't been used as a wingback, and if he stays, his future will be as a No. 10 if the manager and player can find a balance to get the best out of him in that role.

Garnacho could have left in January, with Chelsea and Napoli keen, and after Wednesday night United might well listen to offers again. His off-pitch antics won't have sat well with club officials, and the reality is that Garnacho is one of the most sellable and valuable assets in this squad, at a time when raising funds to reinvest is more vital than ever.

The risks of selling are clear. Garnacho could easily leave and then thrive as a winger in Naples or elsewhere. If it doesn't work out for Amorim at Old Trafford and United go back to a head coach who wants wingers, then the sight of Garnacho excelling for another club will be another costly mistake.

These are the pros and cons that they must weigh up this summer, and what happened in Bilbao on Wednesday has added to the ledger.

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