Chelsea finally agree £40m deal with Man Utd for Garnacho | OneFootball

Chelsea have reached an agreement with Manchester United to sign Alejandro Garnacho in a deal worth close to £40 million.

The 21-year-old winger is set to move to Stamford Bridge on a seven-year contract, with final documents being exchanged before the transfer deadline.

Fabrizio Romano confirmed the news this evening, reporting that Garnacho only wanted Chelsea once it became clear he had no long-term future at Old Trafford under new manager Ruben Amorim.

United had initially valued Garnacho at around £50 million, using the £50 million fee Arsenal paid for Noni Madueke as a benchmark, but the two clubs have now settled on a package in the region of £35 million to £40 million.

Chelsea view the Argentina international as Premier League-proven talent with considerable upside, while also recognising that his development has stalled in Manchester.

Born in Madrid, Garnacho emerged as one of United’s most promising young players in the 2023/24 campaign, but his relationship with Amorim has quickly deteriorated.

The move comes at a crucial time for the winger, who hopes to secure a place in Argentina’s squad for next summer’s World Cup.

He has not featured for the national team since last year and was not included in the latest squad for qualifiers against Venezuela and Ecuador.

Competition for places under Lionel Scaloni is fierce, and Garnacho knows that regular football at Chelsea could revive his international prospects.

At United, his departure forms part of a wider reshaping of Amorim’s squad in the final days of the window.

Kobbie Mainoo remains off the market despite limited playing time, while striker Rasmus Hojlund is expected to join Napoli, with talks ongoing over whether that deal will be a loan or permanent sale.

United are also negotiating the permanent exit of Antony to Real Betis after his successful loan in Spain.

For Chelsea, Garnacho represents another bold move under the ownership of Behdad Eghbali and Todd Boehly, who have embraced an aggressive strategy of recruiting young players on long-term contracts.

The west London club carried out extensive checks on Garnacho’s character before committing to the deal, but ultimately accepted that the final judgment will come on the pitch.

Garnacho himself has been clear for weeks that Chelsea was his preferred destination once he became surplus to requirements in Manchester.

The deal is now on the verge of completion, and Garnacho is set to begin a new chapter at Stamford Bridge as Chelsea continue to reshape their squad.