Ex-Manchester United coach Rene Meulensteen believes there are multiple reasons why the Red Devils should consider selling Alejandro Garnacho.
Speaking exclusively to Man U News (courtesy of Poker Strategy), Sir Alex Ferguson’s former assistant said that the 21-year-old is just not the right fit for head coach Ruben Amorim both in terms of his tactics and his personality:
“Don’t get me wrong, he’s got plenty of talent and he’s direct, but again, he’s been pushed into an awkward position because of the system that Amorim wants to play. Garnacho is a simple winger – starting wide, chalk on his boots, get the ball, and then run at people, be on the outside, beat him on the inside, and you’ve got all that, all the possibility.”
“[However], there is obviously a certain personality that he carries with him, which I think has been possibly the reason that he’s been falling out with Amorim, because Amorim has been very clear in terms of what he expects from his players on and off the pitch.”
When asked whether the Red Devils would regret letting Garnacho leave Old Trafford, especially to a Premier League rival, Meulensteen replied:
“Is it going to be a big mistake [to let him leave]? I do have to say, you know, when [Scott[ McTominay left, I did raise my eyebrows a bit more because you let a boy go that was red through and through, came through the ranks, you know, he wanted to die for Manchester United so he’s got all the personality traits you want, but glad to see him doing absolutely great in Italy.”
“But with Garnacho to Chelsea? If United can get good money for him, then, you know, I will probably back that sale because you also see too many frailties sometimes in Garnacho’s performances… You would think, at least, you would want to get something like £40 million or something.”
Man United may have to wait patiently for Chelsea’s offer
It is thought that the Blues will follow the same playbook that led to Jadon Sancho making the switch to Stamford Bridge last summer.
Enzo Maresca’s side are expected to table a loan bid with some sort of purchase option close to the transfer deadline. Of course, this time, it seems unlikely that the Red Devils will accept any type of get-out clause.
The preference would, of course, be a permanent deal, but there are suggestions that Chelsea would only be willing to pay £30m for Garnacho, which would be a criminally low amount for a player who is arguably worth double that.
Read more from our exclusive interview with Meulensteen as he talks about Benjamin Sesko and another reported target, Gianluigi Donnarumma.
David Tully
David has worked as a football reporter for the last fifteen years. Having started as an intern at Snack Media, he then went on to become a freelancer, working on various different sites. At the start of 2023, he took up his current role as content writer for National World’s Football News Network.
