Alejandro Garnacho parted with Manchester United on very bad terms. The Argentinian youngster came up through Athletico Madrid's academy before being bought for a minimal fee by Man United in 2020, before making his first team debut for United in 2022 at the age of 18.
Garnacho had a promising start to life at Man United, but when Ruben Amorim came in, his minutes were reduced. A summer of chaos followed, with Garnacho blasting Amorim in the press and Amorim banishing Garnacho to the so-called 'bomb squad' until he was sold. It only ended when Garnacho was sold to Chelsea for £40 million, a low price considering his age and talent.
It was a signing typical of Chelsea, with their ownership structure, led by Todd Boehly, prioritising the signing of young talent, loading their team with potential, but also inexperience.
The relationship between Garnacho and United fans has remained, to put it lightly, acrimonious. United fans on social responded to his exit by scrubbing him from the club's history, redacting him from videos of United's highlights, and largely denying he ever existed. Chelsea fans responded smugly, thinking they'd got themselves a steal. United fans knew better.
Alejandro Garnacho is continuing to struggle after Man United departure
Alejandro Garnacho has not had a good start to life at Chelsea. He didn't score his first goal for the club until the end of October, two months after he signed to the club. Garnacho has consistently been poor for Chelsea, struggling for game time, and producing poor performances whenever he does play.
A rare bright spark for Garnacho came in Chelsea's Carabao Cup semi-final 1st leg tie against Arsenal, where Garnacho scored twice in a 3-2 loss for Chelsea. Garnacho's ability in the final third was obvious here: two opportunistic strikes when his team needed a goal somewhat proved his talents.
It was also the perfect display of his life at Chelsea. Both goals were opportunistic, they were scraps. Neither offensive move was supposed to end with Garnacho, the ball fell to him out of chance. Garnacho looks increasingly isolated on the wing at Stamford Bridge, taking none of the creative burden.
Garnacho is also a quick, tenacious winger, something of a throwback to past wingers who aren't afraid to run at their opposite number, taking on the full back at full speed. When done well, it's brilliant to watch. Unfortunately for Garnacho, and for Chelsea fans, he simply doesn't do it well enough.
Ahead of the second leg against Arsenal this week, Garnacho took a jab at United in the press: ''Everyone knows how hard it is to play there [at the Emirates]. If, for example, Man United can beat them there, we can do it perfectly." Bad blood clearly remains between the player and his former club.
When it came time for Garnacho to walk the walk, he faltered again. Garnacho delivered another toothless performance, this time off the bench for Chelsea. Garnacho seems constantly excluded from Chelsea's attacks, taking no creative burden and feeding off scraps. When he does get the ball, he routinely makes the wrong decision and loses it.
Liam Rosenior seems to have finally discovered what United knew when they sold him. Garnacho has talent and passion in abundance. That passion led him to forcing his way out of United. He's also a deeply flawed player, who rarely provides the individual quality and dribbling that he was signed for, and has now become a liability on both ends of the pitch. No refunds, lads.