‘He requested’: What Utd star demanded from winter suitor forced them to end their pursuit, Amorim was relieved

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·5 febbraio 2025

‘He requested’: What Utd star demanded from winter suitor forced them to end their pursuit, Amorim was relieved

As Manchester United fans are well aware at this point, Alejandro Garnacho wasn’t short of interest in the winter transfer window.

The 20-year-old livewire had attracted two concrete suitors in the form of Chelsea and Napoli, though only the latter went as far as making a formal approach by submitting a £40 million bid. It was then swiftly rejected by the Red Devils due to their valuation standing upwards of £60m.

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Both sides were locked in negotiations for almost the entire duration of the month, with United officials even, at one stage, flying to Italy to try and gauge the prospect of getting a deal over the line and whether their price tag would be met.

When it became evident this wouldn’t be the case, Garnacho’s prospective move to Naples collapsed. Chelsea’s subsequent failure to act on their interest meant he stayed put at Old Trafford – much to the relief of fans and Ruben Amorim, who now has only four forwards at his disposal following the departures of Antony, Marcus Rashford and Ethan Wheatley on loan.

Why Napoli were made to end their pursuit of Garnacho

Garnacho has notched eight goals and six assists in all competitions this term. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

While the eight-capped Argentine is now certain to remain a Red for the rest of the season, that doesn’t mean his long-term future is tied to United.

A report yesterday claimed Chelsea were confident they’d ‘laid the groundwork’ for a potential summer swoop for the youngster, and, after the Napoli’s director’s recent admission, they know what to expect in regards to the player’s demands.

Ultimately, it looks as though Garnacho’s salary demands proved too costly for the Serie A leaders to push for his arrival, as club director Giovanni Manna revealed: “We made an important bid to Manchester United for Garnacho. We really wanted him.

“We weren’t able to agree on personal terms with Alejandro. He requested an important salary to leave in January, and we must respect our players.”