Manchester United are reportedly prepared to demand a £60 million transfer fee from Chelsea for the signing of Alejandro Garnacho this summer.
Garnacho’s future at Old Trafford has become uncertain following his critical comments aimed at manager Ruben Amorim after United’s 1-0 defeat to Tottenham in the Europa League final on Wednesday night. The Argentina international expressed his displeasure at Amorim’s decision to start him on the bench in Bilbao, only introducing him as a substitute for Mason Mount in the 71st minute.
“Up until the final I played every round helping the team, and today I play 20 minutes, I don’t know,” Garnacho told Argentine media after the loss to Spurs. “The final will influence [my decision] but the whole season, the situation of the club. I’m going to try to enjoy the summer and see what happens afterwards.”
Prior to kick-off, Garnacho had posted an image on social media celebrating his goals in last year’s FA Cup final and Community Shield, a move that was seen by some as a subtle dig. His brother, Roberto, also publicly criticized Amorim in an Instagram post after the final, writing: “Working as no-one else, helping every round, coming from two goals in the last two finals, just to be on the pitch for 19 mins and get thrown under the bus.”
Amorim, however, defended his team selection, referencing previous instances where substitutions had positively impacted games. When asked if he should have brought Garnacho on earlier, Amorim replied: “How many times have we had this conversation, and it was the opposite? Some players come in, like Mason Mount, against Bilbao and changed the game. So now it is easy to say. Who missed the big opportunity in the first half against Bilbao? Yeah [Garnacho]. Of course, now it is easy for us to talk about a lot of views.”
Garnacho had attracted interest from both Chelsea and Napoli in the January transfer window, but neither club was able to reach an agreement with United, who had reportedly lowered their asking price to €65 million (£54.8 million) at the time. Napoli, who were seeking a new winger after selling Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to Paris Saint-Germain for €70 million (£58.9 million), also revealed that Garnacho’s wage demands played a role in the breakdown of that deal.
According to The Telegraph, Manchester United are once again willing to listen to offers for Garnacho in the summer window and will agree to sell the 20-year-old for a transfer fee of £60 million. The report further adds that United are aiming to raise an additional £90 million by offloading Antony, Jadon Sancho, and Marcus Rashford as part of their squad overhaul.
Despite the ongoing speculation, Garnacho still has three years remaining on his contract with Manchester United. Sources and related content