Manchester United were reportedly the only Premier League club chasing Alejandro Garnacho before the Red Devils agreed a bargain £150,000 up front fee with Atletico Madrid.
Last week, Gabriel Martinelli once again opened up on that aborted switch to Old Trafford. The Brazil international enjoyed four separate spells on trial with Manchester United before the club decided against offering him a contract.
Now, with Martinelli one of the key cogs in Mikel Arteta’s title-chasing machine, the jet-heeled wideman certainly feels like one that got away. Or, at least, he would have done. With Alejandro Garnacho growing month-by-month, almost game-by-game, that Martinelli miss is not quite as painful as it otherwise might have been.
Alejandro Garnacho thriving at Manchester United
The electric Argentine was, not for the first time in recent months, Man United’s stand-out performer during Saturday’s 2-0 win over Everton. A rare 8/10 in a sea of fives and fours, Garnacho became the first United player in Premier League history ever to win two penalties in the same game, Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford slotting home from the spot.
And if Martinelli is the ‘bargain of the century’ – a phrase Jurgen Klopp used about £5 million signing from FC Ituano a few years ago – then how do we describe the £150,000 up front fee Manchester United paid to bring in a little-known Garnacho from Spanish giants Atletico Madrid back in 2020?
According to The Athletic, there were other clubs in Spain keen on Garnacho, but Man United were the only English-based outfit to make a move.
It almost goes without saying that, if United’s Premier League rivals had any idea what Garnacho would become over the next four years, the Red Devils would not have had such a clear run at a player who, during just 18 months in Erik ten Hag’s first-team, has already accumulated quite the collection of ‘clutch’ moments.
‘Special talent’
“Rashford is a matchwinner, Bruno always comes up with something. And Garnacho, as we saw, created the two goals,” United legend Wayne Rooney told TNT Sports after that less-than-convincing Everton win.
“With young players, that is what you find. He’s direct. Garnacho was the one who was going to make things happen. He was certainly the best player of the pitch.”
“His work-rate off the ball as well is fantastic,” Rooney adds. “He is going to make mistakes, he’s still learning. But he has got that drive and hunger which any fan wants to see.
“I’ve been really pleased with him, and I think he will be a special talent going forward. He has probably been Man United’s best player this season.”
Garnacho has already reached double figures for goals and assists in 2023/24, and those statistics do not even include the penalties he won at home to Everton.
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