Should Manchester United Sell Alejandro Garnacho This Summer? | OneFootball

Garnacho’s Future Clouds Manchester United’s Vision

Manchester United have often reached for scapegoats in turbulent seasons. It’s a pattern too familiar — talented players become symbols of underperformance, pushed aside to suggest momentum when the problems run far deeper. Alejandro Garnacho is the latest caught in that cycle.

The 20-year-old, electrifying at his best and raw in his decision-making, has become a focal point in United’s current malaise. As the club lurches through another transition, the call to sell Garnacho this summer feels less like strategic planning and more like déjà vu — a promising talent prematurely discarded under the weight of misalignment between manager and player.

Photo IMAGO

Fallout from Frustration

Saturday’s report by The Athletic painted a dramatic scene. “The club’s head coach Ruben Amorim first informed his players he intends to remain at the club for next season, before telling Garnacho, the 20-year-old winger, to find a new club. He did so in front of Garnacho’s colleagues.”

It was the culmination of a strained relationship. Garnacho had been omitted from the starting line-up for the Europa League final against Tottenham. He entered only in the 71st minute — a decision that hurt a player who thrives on confidence and trust.

After the game, Amorim was asked about his preference for Mason Mount. “So now it is easy to say. Who missed the big opportunity in the first half against (Athletic) Bilbao (in the Europa League semi-final second leg)? Yeah (Garnacho).”

Garnacho responded emotionally in the media zone: “It’s hard for everyone. The season was s***, both now losing the final tonight, and in the league, where we didn’t beat anyone, that’s the truth… I’ve played every round, and today to play 20 minutes… I don’t know.”

His brother added fuel, saying Garnacho had been “thrown under the bus.” The fallout, predictably, has polarised fans — but there’s little denying the damage to player-coach relations.

More Than Just Numbers

Garnacho is not without flaws. There are times he overdoes it, misjudges a pass, or fizzles at the final moment. But there is an intangible spark in his play, a traditional winger’s drive that feels rare in the era of positional rigidity. He has 11 goals and 10 assists in a poor United side this season. He’s missed just one of the club’s last 104 games.

Photo: IMAGO

For context, Garnacho has contributed 24 goals or assists in 93 Premier League appearances. Cristiano Ronaldo had 25 after 82 games. Those comparisons are never perfect, but they underline the quality Garnacho brings — and his resilience in availability.

System Clash or Long-Term Mistake?

Ruben Amorim’s system has been immovable. The 3-4-2-1 demands tactical obedience. Garnacho’s flair jars against that rigidity. He prefers instinct to instruction, wide spaces over tight pockets. That mismatch was always likely to cause friction.

Financially, selling Garnacho would benefit the club’s PSR obligations. Purchased for £150,000 from Atlético Madrid, any sale would count as pure profit. Napoli already had a £40m bid rejected. Yet, cashing in on one of the few recent youth successes feels dangerously short-term.

And there’s the bigger question: how many players like Garnacho are United producing, buying, or developing right now? In a weak squad, he still stands out. If he were doing this at another club, United would likely be paying more than they’d receive to bring him in.