Key former Manchester United figures had a lot to say about Alejandro Garnacho at Old Trafford amid Aston Villa’s interest in the Chelsea winger.
Aston Villa have now agreed to sign Alejandro Garnacho, who left Manchester United in 2025, from Chelsea in one of the most surprising transfers this summer.
The 22-year-old Spain-born winger has completed his medical in Birmingham and Garnacho will sign on loan for Villa, with Chelsea including an obligation to buy.
Garnacho has had a divisive reputation since his emergence at Old Trafford and the best testament to that is the different figures who have worked closely with him.
Was Garnacho’s ‘attitude’ the issue, or is he just not suited to the Premier League’s top level?
The grass is not always greener…
Ralf Rangnick (interim Man Utd manager)
Alejandro Garnacho had risen through the ranks of the Manchester United youth academy before he broke into the first-team squad under Ralf Rangnick in 2022.
Ralf Rangnick served as interim Man Utd boss during the 2021-22 season after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was sacked and he had high hopes for the ex-Red Devils winger.
“[Garnacho] has been training with us [the first team] for the last two weeks and I know that he is one of the most promising players,” he told MUTV, as per Manchester United’s official website in 2022.
“[He is] still only 17, but a player that hopefully, if he keeps his feet on the ground. If he keeps trying to get better every day, then he will not only be sitting on the bench but there is every chance he will be playing for this club.”
Erik ten Hag (Man Utd manager)
Despite making his debut under Ralf Rangnick, Garnacho would not come into his element at Old Trafford properly until Erik ten Hag’s arrival from Ajax in 2022.
Erik ten Hag relied on the Argentina international as a key first-team pick during his reign, but the former United manager wanted to see a lot more from him.
“He is doing well, he has an impact on our game, he is a threat, also [against Leeds], he had good actions, he was lively, created chances, but had to score,” he said in 2023, as per The Guardian.
“And finally, it’s about that – that you have an effect. As a striker you have to at least be on the scoring list, the assist list, the key action list, to have the right impact.
“Of course, we expect him also to do the other stuff [such as pressing] but as a Man United player, we expect you to have an impact to influence the score, to influence the result, to positively influence the game by scoring goals and having an assist.”
Will Man Utd ever REGRET selling Alejandro Garnacho?
Who was more to blame in this saga?
Ruud van Nistelrooy (Man Utd caretaker manager)
Ruud van Nistelrooy had served in the United coaching staff under Erik ten Hag as assistant manager before he was briefly appointed caretaker manager in 2024.
During his four-match managerial spell at the Red Devils, Man Utd’s legendary former striker tried to use Garnacho as an impact sub in his final fixture in charge.
“I spoke to Alejandro Garnacho before the game, he has played a lot of minutes and I wanted him to make an impact off the bench and I’m glad it worked out,” Ruud van Nistelrooy said after Man Utd’s 3-0 win over Leicester City, as per BBC Sport.
“We said, ‘Let’s make the most of these four games,’ get the maximum out of it and I think we did an OK job.”
Ruben Amorim (Man Utd manager)
Garnacho’s run at Old Trafford came to an end during the reign of Ruben Amorim, who axed the Argentina winger after a fractured relationship with him in 2025.
Garnacho and Marcus Rashford were dropped for Man Utd’s 2-1 win over Man City in 2024, as Ruben Amorim made his feelings known about the pair at the time.
“It was nothing special,” Amorim said in 2024, as per Sky Sports.
“New week, new life. If they train well, they will compete for a place in the team, if they are better than the other guys in all the situations, inside and outside the pitch.
“They are really talented and we need Garna and Rash a lot. It was not a disciplinary thing. It’s just that we have to improve our standards. They will get used to this.”
Garnacho lifted an FA Cup and a League Cup with Man Utd before the Red Devils sanctioned his £40m sale to Premier League side Chelsea last summer.
Receive a digest of our best United content each week direct to your mailbox
