Amorim Clears Garnacho for Summer Exit at Man United

Manchester, England — Alejandro Garnacho has been told he is free to leave Manchester United this summer, following rising tensions between the young Argentine winger and head coach Ruben Amorim.

The development follows the fallout from United’s recent Europa League final defeat to Tottenham Hotspur, where Garnacho was benched until the 71st minute. After the match, the 20-year-old voiced his disappointment over his limited involvement, despite having played a key role in earlier rounds.

“Until the final, I played in every round, helping the team. Today I played just 20 minutes — I don’t understand,” Garnacho remarked, hinting that the decision might influence his future with the club.

The situation intensified when his brother, Roberto Garnacho, took to social media to criticize the coaching decision, citing Garnacho’s efforts and previous contributions, including two goals in recent finals, only to be “thrown under the bus” with minimal playing time.

According to reports first published by The Athletic, Amorim has since informed Garnacho that he can seek a move elsewhere.

Chelsea had expressed strong interest in January but failed to finalize a deal. Napoli, fresh off winning the Serie A title, also remain admirers of the Spanish-born forward, who joined United from Atletico Madrid in 2020.

When asked about the situation ahead of United’s Premier League finale against Aston Villa, Amorim remained guarded: “We have a plan. We prepared for both scenarios—Champions League or not. After the final game, we’ll review everything.”

There is uncertainty over whether Garnacho will feature in the squad against Villa.

Garnacho is considered a homegrown player under the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability rules. Therefore, his departure would offer financial flexibility as United reshape their squad, especially with no European competitions on their calendar for next season.

Amorim is reportedly eager to streamline the team to facilitate new signings, with Wolves forward Matheus Cunha, whose contract includes a £62.5 million release clause, high on the club’s radar.

Garnacho’s relationship with Amorim has been rocky from the start. In December, just a month after Amorim’s arrival, both Garnacho and Marcus Rashford were dropped for the Manchester derby due to concerns over their training standards and team dynamics.

Although Garnacho was reinstated quicker than Rashford, he has consistently struggled to fit into Amorim’s tactical system, which favors fewer traditional wide players. Despite being United’s second-highest scorer this season with 11 goals, Garnacho was left out in the Europa League semi-final in Bilbao, as Amad Diallo and Mason Mount were preferred in attacking midfield roles behind Rasmus Hojlund.

By Enoch Odesola | May 25, 2025