Alejandro Garnacho is destined to leave Manchester United as early as this summer if Ruben Amorim doesn’t find a way to fit him into his 3-4-3 system. The 20-year-old winger established himself as an immovable starter after breaking through the academy under Erik ten Hag but has fallen out of favour since Amorim’s arrival.
Garnacho was one of United’s former manager’s most trusted lieutenants, starting each of the club’s final 38 games last season.
He capped off a headline campaign by scoring the Red Devils’ opener in the shock FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
But the Argentina international has been struck with a reality check since Ten Hag’s dismissal, starting with his eye-catching absence from last month’s Manchester derby.
Amorim raised eyebrows by omitting Garnacho and Marcus Rashford from his squad for the dramatic 2-1 win at the Etihad Stadium.
He later suggested that it was due to the attacking pair’s performances in training and matches but, unlike Rashford, reinstated Garnacho to the bench in the following game.
The United No. 17 can’t buy a start, though, and his substitute status at Anfield was the seventh consecutive match in which he wasn’t involved from the get-go.
With captain Bruno Fernandes almost a sure starter and Amad the star of the season so far, Garnacho currently has to accept his role further down the pecking order.
However, whether he will be satisfied with the same role beyond this term is another entirely different thing.
Garnacho could understandably harbour concerns about his development if he’s not playing regular football in a system that suits his game.
The ultra-talented winger’s stock remains high, considering he’s United’s top scorer this season with eight goals and won the FIFA Puskas Award last month.
It’s not out of the realm of possibility that all parties agree that a parting of ways would be a universally beneficial outcome.
Garnacho’s potential is undisputed, but it’s no secret that United are in desperate need to raise funds through player sales to boost Amorim’s transfer budget.
The M16 giants are walking on thin ice when it comes to the Premier League‘s Profit and Sustainability Rules after years of reckless spending.
And offloading homegrown talents is believed to count as four times the revenue on a club’s books, contributing to the club’s willingness to cash in on Marcus Rashford.
Amorim will understand the talent he has on his hands in Garnacho, but the starlet’s current status feels unsustainable, and the Portuguese head coach’s need for reinforcements remains undeniable.
