Alejandro Garnacho admits he “listens to some rumours about the future” amid Manchester United exit reports and claims Ruben Amorim’s arrival mid-season made things “difficult”.
Garnacho has been linked with a move to Chelsea or Napoli this summer after both clubs showed previous interest in the forward, with United reportedly demanding at least £65million for the 20-year-old.
Responding to the reports ahead of his side’s crunch clash against Athletic Club in the Europa League, Garnacho said: “Obviously as a footballer you read and listen to some rumours about the future, but I have a contract here until 2028. I am happy here.
“We know we have to work hard here to be even in the squad and I just have to train well every day and I will be available for all the games.”
United are languishing in 15th place in the Premier League after a miserable domestic season which has seen them win just ten of their 35 games.
Erik ten Hag was replaced by Amorim in November but the results and performances have if anything deteriorated following the Portuguese manager’s arrival.
Amorim has stuck rigidly to his philosophy and Garnacho has been one of many players who have struggled to adapt.
“I think it’s difficult for everyone when, in the middle of the season, a new manager comes in and we change the formation,” Garnancho explained. “But we just need to follow the rules and I try to improve every day.
“Obviously, the manager knows the characteristics of the players. You see the games, too many times I play, for example, wide on the wing and the wing back is coming inside. What we try to do depends on the players we have and we are improving as a team also.
“It’s a little bit hard but it’s just the mentality. My 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.”
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Garnacho’s strike in the 4-3 defeat to Brentford on Sunday took him to 24 United goal involvements, one away from matching Cristiano Ronaldo’s tally before reaching the age of 21.
With the Argentina international not celebrating his birthday until July, there’s every chance he can equal or even surpass the United legend, but Garnacho insists he’s only focused on improving to help his team.
But, for now, Garnacho is concentrating on the here and now, as United prepare for the Europa League second leg against Athletic Club at Old Trafford.
“I’m not focused on the numbers. I think when Cristiano played here, he was a different footballer, [they were] a different type of games,” he said, at Wednesday’s press conference. “I just try to help the team and try to win games.
“Obviously, yeah, on missed chances and things like this, we are training really hard, me, Rasmus [Hojlund] and all the strikers in the team, so I think we are improving and we will try to do better.”
United won their first leg 3-0 in Bilbao and have a great chance of reaching the Europa League final and Garnacho says he’s working hard with Hojlund – who’s been particularly poor in front of goal this season – to improve their output.
“I speak with him a lot. We try to help each other,” he added. “Sometimes, from this side, it’s difficult but we try hard, try harder every game to try to score more of these chances, and the team will improve if we score more goals.
“We know that we are not doing a great job in the Premier League. But the manager said before that we have followed the rules and tomorrow is a final, and we will face it like it is 0-0.
“If we win the Europa League, we will be in the Champions League and we will face next season with a different mentality and in a different way.”
