CHICAGO — Alejandro Garnacho was given a second chance by Ruben Amorim after a disagreement early in the Portuguese coach’s reign at Old Trafford. He’s unlikely to get a third.
With Garnacho being told to train away from his teammates and then being axed from the preseason tour of the United States, all signs point to an exit this summer if the club receives a suitable offer. Manchester United have already dropped their demands from £70 million in January to around £40m to make sure it happens. The writing is on the wall.
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Garnacho was given a reprieve by Amorim in December. The winger was dropped from the squad for the Manchester derby against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium because Amorim believed he had failed to listen to instructions while he waited to come on as a substitute in a Europa League tie against FC Viktoria Plzen four days earlier. Garnacho missed the game and was forced to train at Carrington with Marcus Rashford — also omitted from the squad — while United ultimately won a memorable derby 2-1 thanks to a stoppage-time goal from Amad Diallo. But after talks between player and manager, the issue was put down to a miscommunication, and Garnacho was reintegrated back into the squad. He impressed Amorim and his staff by offering to take on media duties ahead of the Europa League semifinal second leg against Athletic Club.
Just weeks later, however, Amorim’s patience had run out. Comments made by Garnacho in the wake of his omission from the team for the Europa League final defeat to Tottenham Hotspur were deemed to have gone too far. Subsequently dropped for the last game of the season against Aston Villa, it was made clear to the Argentina international that he should use the summer to find another club. There has been interest from Chelsea, Villa, Napoli and Bayern Munich. United are waiting for a concrete offer — only if nothing materializes before the transfer deadline will Amorim consider whether there might be a way back, but the odds are stacked against it.
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Garnacho’s talent isn’t in question, with Amorim’s drive to cut ties instead driven by a desire to change the culture at Old Trafford. It’s the same reason Rashford was sent to Aston Villa on loan in January and has since been shipped out to Barcelona.
Amorim is sure that letting Garnacho leave is the right thing to do, and United’s willingness to listen to offers of between £35m-£40m shows just how keen the club is to facilitate a move. Anthony Elanga, who has scored 11 Premier League goals over the past two seasons compared to Garnacho’s 13, has moved to Newcastle United from Nottingham Forest for £55m. Garnacho, younger than Elanga but with a similar level of first-team experience, also has more dribbles, take-ons and progressive passes over the same period.
Letting Garnacho leave would improve United’s position regarding profit and sustainability rules because, as an academy graduate, any fee generated would be booked as pure profit. But it’s still a risk. At 21 years old, he’s nowhere near his peak. Scott McTominay is the latest United castoff to thrive in a different environment after playing a key role in helping Napoli win the Serie A title last season. It’s entirely possible that Garnacho goes on to do something similar and fulfills his potential elsewhere. United will look to include a sell-on clause in any deal to protect themselves, but with Garnacho so clearly surplus to requirements, they’re not negotiating from a position of strength.
Garnacho, meanwhile, is frustrated at how the situation has unfolded. There’s a feeling from those closest to him that he worked hard during Amorim’s first few months to prove he could play under a new manager with different tactical demands. His favorite position, wide on the left, doesn’t exist in a 3-4-3 system, but he felt he adapted quickly; between March and May, he started 14 consecutive games.
“I think it’s difficult for everyone when, in the middle of the season, a new manager comes in and we change the formation,” he said in his news conference ahead of the Europa League tie with Athletic Club. “We just need to follow the rules, and I try to improve every day. The first two months, November and December were very difficult for me, but my mentality is to keep working, to keep trying and show to the manager and staff I have to play.”
Amorim was also complimentary in January. “He changed in everything, the approach when I talk with him, the way he recovers,” the United head coach said. “I think all the merit is from Garnacho and he is improving, and we want to continue to improve with Garnacho. I think he’s improving a lot.”
Just a few months later, Garnacho finds himself completely out in the cold. With Amorim under pressure after a difficult start at United and the possibility that Garnacho could leave on loan this summer, there’s a theory that he could yet outlast his manager and get a clean slate under a new coach. That, though, would mean winning back the fans.
Most supporters don’t like to see good, young academy players leave the club, but Garnacho lost any goodwill he had by posting a picture of himself wearing an Aston Villa shirt with “Rashford 9” on the back while on holiday. It might have just been a show of support for his then-teammate, who is now at Barcelona on loan. Many fans, however, considered it to be a provocative gesture at a time when both Rashford and Garnacho were at odds with the club. It didn’t go down well with club bosses, either, and only served to strengthen the view that Garnacho has to go. In the absence of a firm offer, he’s still using the facilities at Carrington while his teammates prepare for the new campaign in Chicago.
Amorim arrived in the U.S. on Tuesday looking for a fresh start. He wants to forget United’s worst season in more than 50 years as quickly as possible and give fans an early indication that the future can be bright. As United and Amorim look to move on, Garnacho is one of those being left behind.
