Alejandro Garnacho: Ex-United ace reveals reason for joining Chelsea | OneFootball

Alejandro Garnacho endured a topsy-turvy spell at Manchester United before moving to Chelsea this summer.

The Argentine initially joined the Red Devil’s academy from Atletico Madrid in 2020 and broke into the senior team under former manager Erik ten Hag.

Garnacho was a revelation under the Dutchman, becoming an influential member of the starting XI. He went on to register 20 goals and 15 assists from 98 appearances in all competitions under Ten Hag, winning both the EFL Cup and the FA Cup.

However, the player’s situation at Old Trafford changed dramatically after Ruben Amorim took charge at Old Trafford in November last year.

A mixed time under Amorim

Garnacho initially fell out of favour under the Portuguese head coach, but fought his way back into the team. The Argentine went on to make 40 appearances under Amorim, registering four goals and six assists.

However, things escalated quickly after the 21 year old started on the bench in the 1-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League. Garnacho publicly criticised the decision, all but sealing his fate at Old Trafford.

Chelsea secured his services over the summer for a reported £40 million fee. After a slow start to his Stamford Bridge tenure, the Argentine scored his first goal for the Blues in the 2-1 defeat to Sunderland on Saturday, 25 October.

Garnacho has now shed light on his decision to leave the Theatre of Dreams to move to Stamford Bridge this summer.

A desire to improve

Speaking recently, as cited by Sports Illustrated, Garnacho said he joined Chelsea to improve as a player.

“Obviously, in my last season at United, with the new manager, there were a lot of changes in the situation at the club and it was a bit difficult,” said Garnacho.

“I still played a lot of games last season, mainly from the start or sometimes from the bench. But when I spoke with this club, with the manager, it’s important also the style of play we have now.

“He explained a lot to me in a video call with him, so I think it was a very important move for me and an opportunity to improve as a player in a team like Chelsea.”

United, meanwhile, also invested heavily in their attack this summer. With Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo having hit the ground running at the Theatre of Dreams, the Red Devils appear to have moved on from Garnacho.

United also have a 10% sell-on clause in the Argentine’s deal, meaning they could profit from any future sale.

Featured image Michael Regan via Getty Images

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