Manchester United's 21-year-old winger Alejandro Garnacho is certain to be offloaded this summer, with his departure already confirmed publicly by head coach Ruben Amorim, who stated that the two can no longer cooperate, making separation the most logical conclusion.
"I believe Garnacho, as you can understand and see, is very talented; he is truly a gifted young man," Amorim explained. "But sometimes things just don't work out, and you can't quite explain why. I feel that Garnacho clearly wants a different approach and needs different leadership, and I can understand that. So I think this is not a problem."
The United manager added, "Sometimes you can adapt to someone because a rapport has been established; other times, you want new challenges. Therefore, we will strive to satisfy all parties involved, including the club, the coach, and the players. So, this is very natural in the world of football."
Garnacho has already declined offers from two top Turkish clubs, with both former Red Devils managers Solskjær and Mourinho being rejected by him. Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano confirmed that the Argentine international wishes to remain in the Premier League, with Chelsea being his preferred choice.
Turkish media reported that the first club to approach Garnacho was Besiktas under Solskjær, followed by Mourinho's Fenerbahçe, but neither could sway the Manchester United winger. Numerous Premier League teams are interested in Garnacho, leaving the Turkish clubs with little chance.
Premier League teams believed to be interested in Garnacho include Aston Villa, Tottenham, and Chelsea, with Villa and Spurs potentially being better fits for the Argentine winger due to their lack of wide players. Particularly, Spurs' captain Son Heung-min has confirmed his departure, so a new left winger is needed.
However, it is clear that Chelsea is Garnacho's preferred destination. When Chelsea signed English winger Jamie Gittens from Dortmund earlier this summer, many thought this indicated they were no longer interested in acquiring Garnacho from Manchester United, but the opposite is true; "Little Joe" remains closely linked to a move to Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea is expected to make an offer for Garnacho later in the summer transfer window, which could help them lower the transfer fee. Garnacho has received offers from leagues across Europe but is believed to be waiting for the Blues to take action. The connection between Garnacho and Chelsea has sparked mixed opinions among Chelsea fans: why would the club want to sign the controversial Manchester United winger after already bringing in Gittens?
Transfer expert Bobby Vincent explained that coach Enzo Maresca wants every position at Chelsea to have two players competing, and signing Garnacho could allow them to loan out Tilak George, which has been discussed by the team in recent weeks, with Gittens and Garnacho competing for the starting left-wing spot.
Although Chelsea has many wide players, their options for left wingers are limited. Sancho and Madueke have both left this summer, while Mudryk remains suspended, and it's unclear when he will return to the field. Pedro Neto has played on the left wing but is not an ideal choice, as he performs better on the opposite flank. Even if they sign RB Leipzig's Xavi Simons, he is seen as a number 10 rather than a winger. Giovanni Kounda from Sporting Lisbon will join next year; he can play left winger but can also operate on the right side.
Thus, if Chelsea can sign Garnacho from Manchester United at a reasonable price, such as £40 million, they will certainly consider it. Although Garnacho is currently embroiled in controversy, he was recently regarded by the Red Devils as a "non-transferable" asset and a future prospect with significant talent.
Like past Manchester United youth players such as Mason Greenwood, Garnacho's issues are not related to football but rather to his conduct on and off the pitch, as well as character concerns. Maresca believes he can manage this better than Manchester United did, similar to how he handled Sancho.
Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano noted, "Chelsea is simultaneously pursuing Simons and Garnacho, with both being separate deals, independent transfers rather than replacements, and both players are eager to join the Blues. The difference is that negotiations for Simons have reached an advanced stage, with RB Leipzig aware of the player's intentions. Meanwhile, discussions for Garnacho have not yet begun; he is merely on Chelsea's radar."
It is worth mentioning that Romano's report has received a personal thumbs-up from Garnacho himself, confirming his eagerness to wait for Chelsea's position.