Manchester United's Alejandro Garnacho is bound for the exit door with Chelsea interested
Manchester United's Alejandro Garnacho is bound for the exit door with Chelsea interested
Sam Wallace
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Today at 18:59
Manchester United and Chelsea are close to agreeing terms Alejandro Garnacho in a deal worth up to £40m.
The 21-year-old has no future under Ruben Amorim which has given negotiations a different dynamic but there is also a realisation that Chelsea are acquiring Premier League-proven young talent. The price reflects that, given United started by benchmarking his value against the £50m that Arsenal paid Chelsea for the England international Noni Madueke.
It is a crucial move for the player himself, hopeful of a place in the squad for Argentina’s World Cup defence next summer. Born in the southern commuter suburbs of Madrid, Garnacho is facing an early crossroads in what was developing into one of the most promising Premier League careers in the 2023-24 season. Chelsea have made a number of checks on his character and approach to the job, as reported by Telegraph Sport, although the acceptance is that the proof will be in his performance.
At the level of the deal as agreed, there is a realistic market for Garnacho beyond Chelsea should it not work out for him in west London. With only a few exceptions, Chelsea’s business is done with potential trading of the player further down the line should a transfer not work out.
Kobbie Mainoo is currently not for sale at United in the final days of the window − despite misgivings the home-grown midfielder might have about his position in the pecking order with Amorim currently. He has been an unused substitute in the first two league games of the season. Whether a loan is an option for United remains to be seen.
Mainoo may yet be the only one of the trio of Garnacho and Rasmus Hojlund who remains at the club beyond the close of the transfer window on Monday. The three were briefly the new youthful faces of what was then Erik ten Hag’s United team in February 2024, perching on an advertising hoarding together to celebrate a goal.
Hojlund is currently likely to join Napoli although the two clubs are yet to decide how the deal might be structured, with the possibility of a sale or a loan in addition to an obligation to buy the player. Hojlund joined United two years ago from Serie A. There is also some hope that a deal will be agreed for the Brazilian Antony to join Real Betis on a permanent deal after a successful loan last season.