Chelsea target Alejandro Garnacho has all the necessary talent to become a world class player, but Manchester United fans should not be sorry to see him leave.
Garnacho established himself in the first team in 2022 with some spectacular contributions, with bicycle kicks, braces and winners. Playing alongside his hero Cristiano Ronaldo, he appeared determined to match the Portuguese’s highlights, and score important goals.
In Erik ten Hag’s first season, it appeared that he was a bright hope for the future, a player to build at least part of the team around. He was someone who could play in a front three and offer an attacking threat.
Last season and the season before that, Garnacho scored 11 goals and 10 goals respectively, a healthy return, and something to build on, but things started to go sideways with the arrival of Ruben Amorim.
The former Sporting CP manager was quick to drop Garnacho, alongside Marcus Rashford. Rashford had been out of form for the best part of two seasons already, and had only sparked into life for one of Ten Hag’s campaigns. With stories of indiscipline under the Dutchman, it was easy to understand that Amorim decided that the forward had been indulged for too long, and the interests of the club and player would be best served when he left.
It’s hard to argue. Rashford has his long-desired move to Barcelona, and in Benjamin Sesko, Mathus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, the club now has three forwards who want to be at Old Trafford. When it comes to Garnacho, it was less clear cut at the time, but over the last few months, it’s hard to see him as a player who will ever fully commit to United.
Back in February, Garnacho stormed down the tunnel after he was subbed off, and was given the chance to apologise his team-mates. Given his young age, it was hardly the worst transgression, but in retrospect it feels like a hint of future problems. When Amorim informed him it was time to find a new club after the Europa League final defeat, his brother complained about United’s efforts. Over the summer, he was pictured wearing a Rashford Aston Villa shirt.
None of those things are a big deal, but they stack up in the mind and can only be excused if the player is giving his all. On the pitch, he was not progressing, and instead of doubling down on getting better, he was looking to stir s***.
United have spent the last decade lurching from one manager to another, each time when the players fail to take responsibility for shoddy performances. Outside of Bruno Fernandes, it’s hard to see which player both demands more from himself and more from his team-mates. Standards have slipped, and excuses are tolerated. Louis Saha said that had Garnacho been at the club at the same time as Roy Keane, Keane would have welcomed him back to training with a crunching tackle and put in his place. There has been nobody at United to guide their youngsters, or even their under-performing senior players.
Garnacho’s attitude is not all his fault – Man Utd share the blame
Manchester United players
In some ways, it’s not Garnacho’s fault. All his arrogance and acting out can’t be justified, but at better clubs and in better teams, that attitude would have been stopped right away by figures of authority. Amorim, for better or worse, is now that authority, and not one of the players he is bundling out of the door can indisputably argue they should be kept on. For too long, the manager was the loser in these situations. It is better for the club if, at last, the manager’s decision is final for the whole club.
Garnacho won’t care anymore. He doesn’t care now. He wants a move to Chelsea and he may well blossom into a superstar. If he does, it will be because there are people to guide him, and he is finally willing to listen. Chelsea are taking a huge risk that he will mature in time to save his potential. For Manchester United, they must make sure to keep buying players who will not repeat the Argentine’s mistakes.