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Garnacho decides his next club as stunned Man Utd chiefs set prohibitive price

Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho is understood to have informed his agent he wants to join Chelsea above three other suitors this summer – and while INEOS will demand a lofty price, his possible move has not gone down well with a former player.

The 20-year-old winger emerged as a huge star in the making under Erik ten Hag last season when he scored 10 times and created seven more in 50 appearances. And while he has backed that up with similar numbers this season (11 goals and 10 assists), his recent criticism of Ruben Amorim looks set to result in a parting of ways at Manchester United.

Having been benched for the Europa League final, which they lost 1-0 to Tottenham Hotspur in Bilbao, Garnacho could not help but let his frustration spill over.

“We didn’t beat anyone in the league. We lacked a lot of things. When you don’t score goals, you always need more,” Garnacho said.

“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.”

With the winger’s situation always seen as precarious anyway, given his inability to command an obvious place in Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 formation, a parting of ways had always looked possible anyway. Possible exits in the January window were explored with both Chelsea and Napoli interested.

And while they both remain keen on a possible deal, The Sun can reveal that Garnacho has now made it clear he wants to remain in the Premier League and is keen to secure a move to Chelsea, whose young guns have booked a place in the Champions League next season.

A source told the newspaper: ‘Alejandro knows the Premier League is the best in the world.

‘And while he has had some good moments at United, he wants to establish himself as a world star.

‘England is the best place to do that, and Chelsea have assembled a lot of good young players.’

However, the report reveals that club bosses, who had preferred to sell the eight-times capped Argentina winger overseas, have responded by slapping a non-negotiable £60m (€71.2m, $81m) price tag on the player’s head.

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Garnacho also wanted by Ten Hag as Paul Scholes worries over Man Utd sale

With Garnacho seemingly choosing Stamford Bridge as his next destination, a move to south-west London also looks set to disappoint his former manager Ten Hag, who had requested a reunion with the player at the Dutchman’s new club, Bayer Leverkusen.

There had also been reports of a move to Spain – and a return to his youth side, Atletico Madrid – while Napoli were also keen to resurrect their bid, having been priced out of a move in the winter window.

Either way, a parting of ways now seems inevitable with Garnacho’s career at Old Trafford seemingly now cooked.

While Roy Keane has endorsed his possible sale this summer, branding the winger “immature” and one of three players the club should look to move on, his former teammate, Paul Scholes, is of the mindset that the exit of the winger, and that of Kobbie Mainoo, are ones that United could live to regret.

“It has to be a major concern,” Scholes told Premier League Productions when questioned about United’s chances of a major summer rebuild.

“Where’s the money coming from for new signings? We saw those interviews with Sir Jim, and they didn’t make for good reading.

“It doesn’t look like Ruben Amorim will get a war chest to go to war with. It doesn’t feel like that.

“I get the impression, and I could be wrong, but I think they might sell the two young players. I think they might sell Mainoo and Garnacho.

“Maybe they’ll sell them this summer. The Mainoo one would hurt. They both would. Garnacho came later, but Mainoo has been at the club since he was a kid.

“He had a brilliant season last year, and it makes the academy system look bad if a player like him can’t make it and they have to sell him.

“I hope I’m wrong, I hope they don’t do that, but the noises I hear, it is a big concern.”

Man Utd transfer latest: Four-striker wishlist compiled; Scholes demands Bruno Fernandes sale

Meanwhile, United have drawn up a four-man striker wishlist this summer after Benjamin Sesko made it clear he plans to join a Premier League rival instead, and with TEAMtalk able to reveal the identity of the player now at the very top of their wanted list.

Alternatively, United have been told why they should swoop for Aston Villa ace Ollie Watkins this summer, with a former Old Trafford star blasting the club for losing out on other top players to rivals such as Liverpool and Arsenal.

The key to all United’s summer transfer plans will undoubtedly lie in sales and one man who is the subject of a £100m approach, from Saudi side Al-Hilal, is captain Bruno Fernandes.

While regarded as United’s most important and influential player, though,Scholes has demanded United sell the Portuguese in a withering assessment of what he brings to the side and confusion around his best role.

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