Alejandro Garnacho’s future hangs as a cloud over Manchester United’s pre-season preparation, but the dressing room’s opinion is slowly changing, personified by Amad.
The instance that started with Ruben Amorim dropping Alejandro Garnacho from the starting XI for the Europa League final has since snowballed into completely burnt bridges.
Garnacho is the headliner of the unwanted five at Man Utd, which could soon be the unwanted four as Marcus Rashford is off to Barcelona.
The Argentinian was clearly a popular member of the squad, so Amorim was taking a risk alienating him completely. However, Amad’s opinion on him has flipped completely in less than two months.
Amad’s opinion on Alejandro Garnacho full of contrast
Among all the members in the Man Utd squad, Amad is arguably the player who is the least “media trained”, in the best way possible.
He is refreshingly honest and likable in a world full of robotic answers and cliches, where avoiding controversy is the primary objective.
Therefore, when he says something, it is clear that it’s coming from an honest place, which is why the contrast in his opinion of Garnacho is so interesting.
Amad was asked about Garnacho being frozen out after United’s goalless draw against Leeds, and his response was surgically cold.
He said (via The Daily Mail): “I think this is not really my problem. The only thing I’m thinking right now is how we will learn together as a team.”
If that seems like a regular answer, think again, because the same player, less than two months ago, sounded extremely different on the same subject.
Amad was asked about Garnacho during the post-season tour last season as well, around May 20, 2025, and he publicly said that he hopes to have him next season, as he is a good player.
Amad said then: “Alejandro is a really good player and we need good players in the team. I know Garna really well, so I hope to have Garna next season. It is not really a big issue for the team. Everything is good now.”
It was widely accepted as United doing damage control on Garnacho, with the news leaking at the time that Amorim told the player he had better pray he finds a club to take him.
It seems like Amorim has won over players to his line of thinking in these two months. Amad has gone from hoping to have Garnacho to no longer caring about it.
Ruben Amorim developing Sporting trait at Man Utd
If anybody will be most pleased with this contrast, it will be the Man Utd manager, who has successfully managed to win over the squad despite taking some tough decisions.
Rashford and Garnacho were extremely popular with the squad, but the players have chosen Amorim over the duo, if Amad’s contrast in thoughts is anything to go by.
It is a trait he was famous for at Sporting, where his man-management and communication skills won him the undying loyalty of his players.
Sporting players were willing to run through brick walls for him, despite him alienating a portion of the squad in the first summer he arrived, much like he has done at Old Trafford.
Man Utd fans will be heartened to see that there is finally a manager cracking the whip on the dressing room and not losing it in the process.
If anything, his authority has been enhanced after this episode. Amad’s contrasting comments on Garnacho prove it.
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