Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has revealed Alejandro Garnacho is “ready to start” as the Blues travel to Old Trafford to face Manchester United in the 5:30pm kick off on Saturday.
A Hostile Return
Garnacho, 21, sealed a £40 million switch to Stamford Bridge in the final week of the summer transfer window after a major fall-out with head coach Ruben Amorim.
The Argentina international was designated as part of Amorim’s ‘bomb squad’ – a group of players with no future at the club who were made to train separately from the first-team squad and excluded from the pre-season tour of the United States.
The other members of this explosive unit were Antony, Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford and Tyrell Malacia.
United had hoped to bank a far higher fee for Garnacho given his strong performances in an otherwise poor side over the past two seasons, particularly given his age.
But the winger was intent on joining Chelsea and was willing to reject other suitors to complete the move.
This inflexibility, coupled with his off-the-field controversies, weakened United’s negotiating position, leading to a compromised fee of £40m when the asking price had been nearly double just six months prior.
The Old Trafford faithful are likely to be divided in their reaction to the Academy graduate.
Some will have a sense of regret that an exciting youth player left the club in difficult circumstances, while many will point to his unprofessional attitude as evidence for why it was the right decision to shift him.
Garnacho’s own approach on Saturday evening is likely to dictate the welcome he receives from his former fanbase.
Maresca says Garnacho is “ready to start”
Speaking in a press-conference this morning, Maresca revealed Garnacho is “ready to start” after impressing the Italian manager in his last two outings.
Garnacho came off the bench against Brentford and Bayern Munich with Maresca believing he “did very good” in these cameos. It was the 21-year-old’s lapse in concentration which gifted Brentford a late equaliser, however.
“In the last two games, he came on and did very good. We are happy with how he is adapting to our style and what we want for our winger. If he is ready to start tomorrow? I think he is ready to start.”
United are in desperate need of a win after a dismal start to the new campaign. Pressure is already ramping up on Amorim as the poor run of results from last season have continued, despite over £200m being invested in recruitment over the summer.
If the club’s former winger, who Amorim drove out of Old Trafford, was to pop up tomorrow with a goal against United at the Stretford End it would complete the Theatre of Dreams’ conversion into a playhouse of nightmares for the Portuguese coach.
And there is nothing
a mercurial player like Garnacho would love more.
Featured image Clive Mason via Getty Images
Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social
Darragh Fox
Darragh is a writer for The Peoples Person who spent three years as a history graduate slowly realising football was by far the most interesting thing to write about.
