Alejandro Garnacho's loan move from Chelsea to Aston Villa descends into nightmare | OneFootball

Alejandro Garnacho's season-long loan from Chelsea to Aston Villa has quickly soured, with the 22-year-old on the fringes and his future unclear. He has played only 31 minutes and was unused in the last three matches.

He made the squad for the 3-2 win over Tottenham only because winger Alysson was injured. According to Daily Mail, clubs in Spain are monitoring his situation, and a La Liga move would take him back to his birthplace, Madrid, after time in Atletico's academy.

A permanent £43m clause is tied to performance targets that Chelsea previously considered straightforward, yet his current status makes activation unlikely. Neither club is seeking to change the loan terms.

Competition is fierce, with George Hemmings thriving on the left and Emi Buendia, Ibrahim Mbaye and John McGinn all ahead of Garnacho in Unai Emery's plans.

His Villa struggle follows a sharp downturn at Chelsea. After 26 goals in 144 Manchester United games, he joined Chelsea for £40m. He scored eight in 43 last season, only one in the Premier League, before Xabi Alonso sidelined him, prompting this loan despite nearly six years left.

After the Carabao Cup win over Coventry, Emery said Garnacho must keep working for minutes, adding that he is progressing but sits behind others and needs patience following a disrupted pre-season.

Left out of Argentina's latest squad, he will join Villa's training camp in Seville over the break. They host Brentford on 10 October, then welcome Fenerbahce for their opening home Champions League game, a spell that could offer him a lifeline.

Source: Goal.com

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