Three years ago, Alejandro Garnacho scored twice as Manchester United won the FA Youth Cup final for a record eleventh time.
A year later, he brought some much needed impetus off the bench but could not prevent defeat to Manchester City in the FA Cup final.
Last year, he started and scored against the same opponents as United reclaimed the trophy.
But this year, another final – this time in the Europa League – will almost certainly be his last competitive match for the club.
So how is it that United are prepared to lose one of their brightest academy graduates before he has even turned 21?
Garnacho is a huge talent but his questionable decision making on the pitch is matched off it. Not for the first time, his comments to the waiting media after the Europa League final provoked anger and irritation.
He has recovered from previous misdemeanours – including being omitted from the squad for the Manchester derby in December and walking straight down the tunnel after being substituted against Ipswich in February – but it appears Ruben Amorim has now had enough.
Many fans shared Garnacho’s frustration at Amorim’s decision not to introduce him until the 71st minute in Bilbao (as they did when he was sacrificed before half time following Patrick Dorgu’s red card against Ipswich). However, for Garnacho to say so publicly showed a lack of respect for his manager and teammates.
His use of social media has also been problematic in the past, notably when he liked posts that were critical of his then manager, Erik ten Hag. On this occasion, his brother’s social media post after the final made things worse – again, not for the first time.
The focus on Garnacho’s public comments is understandable but they are not solely responsible for Amorim’s decision. Doubts remain about his suitability for Amorim’s system and while United should not have to resort to selling top academy graduates for financial reasons, compliance with the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules (PSR) looms over the club’s transfer plans this summer.
Garnacho can be brilliant and infuriating in equal measure. There is an increasing obsession with goals and assists in the modern game (or ‘goal involvements’ as they now appear to be known) but 11 goals and 10 assists is a reasonable return this season. Less apparent from the stats has been United’s reluctance or inability to take a risk. Such charges could not be levelled at Garnacho, who appears to relish the pressure of playing for United.
These traits have perhaps inevitably brought comparisons with a young Cristiano Ronaldo, who took three years before producing consistently in his first spell at the club. To be clear, any suggestion that Garnacho will go on to emulate his idol’s career are wide of the mark but he has shown enough to suggest that the same applies to comparisons with Adnan Januzaj, who never fulfilled the early promise he showed at United.
Another former United winger to draw comparisons with Garnacho is Anthony Elanga. His excellent solo goal in United’s defeat to Nottingham Forest in April prompted questions about United’s decision to sell him two years ago. However, Garnacho’s goal tally this season matches Elanga’s return in two seasons at Forest.
Hindsight has also been evident in the response to Scott McTominay’s success at Napoli. His departure was regrettable in the way that those of Jonny Evans and Danny Welbeck were before him; good players who were not always first choice but who understood the club having been there since childhood. United need players like that and neither Evans nor Welbeck should have been allowed to leave under Louis van Gaal. The same could be said of McTominay but it felt like the move made sense for him and the club.
In goal, the form of David De Gea at Fiorentina and the penalty saving heroics of Dean Henderson in the FA Cup final have contrasted with the error prone performances of André Onana and Altay Bayindir. This illustrates another major issue with United’s recruitment: the players brought in have often not been better than those they have replaced.
Manuel Ugarte deserves more time before he is judged but he has not yet shown why he commanded a fee that was double what United received for McTominay. Meanwhile, £15 million was a fair price for Elanga at the time but United spent ten times that on Jadon Sancho and Antony in the two summers preceding his departure.
United are hoping that Matheus Cunha will be an upgrade on Garnacho. At five years his senior, he should be entering his prime but he will need to deal with greater pressure at United than at Wolves.
Despite a disastrous season, United still possess good players and it should not be a surprise when they do well elsewhere. It also does not mean it was wrong to sell them. That said, Garnacho’s potential means that aside from Kobbie Mainoo – whose departure should be unthinkable – his transfer could lead to the greatest regret.
Many have suggested Sir Alex Ferguson would not have allowed Garnacho’s remarks to go unpunished. They are right but it is also extremely unlikely that he would have highlighted the chance Garnacho missed in the semi-final to explain his absence from the starting XI for the final, as Amorim chose to do.
Garnacho’s age offers some mitigation for his behaviour; sometimes 20-year-olds say and do stupid things, especially on social media. Equally, he does not appear to be learning from his mistakes and his age will not provide an excuse forever.
No player is bigger than the club and the manager undoubtedly has to be in control and be trusted to make big decisions. But there is also no denying that selling one of your best young players at the behest of a manager who currently averages a point per game in the Premier League is not without risk.
It will be no surprise if we are left bemoaning Garnacho’s performances elsewhere this time next year. His petulance can be exasperating but his talent means he may prove to be one that got away.
Written by Liam Walsh.__)