Facundo Pellistri future plunged into further doubt as Alaves sack manager

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Manchester United loanee Facundo Pellistri’s future looks even more uncertain at Alaves after the La Liga club fired their manager.

Alaves announced this week José Luis Mendilibar is the club’s new manager, replacing Javier Calleja, who was sacked after a poor run of form.

Mendilibar previously managed Eibar for six seasons but left the club by mutual consent after they were relegated back in May.

What does change mean for Pellistri?

Calleja’s sacking could give Manchester United even more cause to want to recall Pellistri from his so far disappointing second spell on loan at Alaves.

Pellistri featured among our list of loan players United should consider recalling in January, and as Pellistri explained to The Guardian earlier this month, United can do so as he has not played the minimum number of minutes stipulated in the loan agreement.

The winger said: “There’s a clause where if I don’t play a certain number of minutes, they can take me back [unliterally], and mathematically I can’t reach that even if I play every minute until January.”

Pellistri has been a fringe player for Alaves, recently being hooked at half-time against Getafe, and then playing just 11 minutes from the bench against Rayo Vallecano.

The winger has started six games, played 10 times as a substitute, and has no goals or assists, with Alaves in 18th place in the relegation zone.

United would be better off recalling Pellistri and sending the 20-year-old to another club where he will see more of the ball, and a side which are not on the losing end nearly every week.

There is a chance that new boss Mendilibar takes a liking to Pellistri and decides to play him more prominently, with a different style of play, then there is a chance United and the player decide to stick with the loan.

A new coach can give Pellistri a fresh start and turn his spell around, although it is just as possible he decides he has no interest developing United’s young talent.

At the very least, the managerial change ensures the same situation cannot continue, and it gives United an extra excuse to start a conversation with Alaves.

The smart call would be to bring Pellistri and back and find a new club for him to spend the second half of the season at, although the situation is cloudier than ever.

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