This $54 Million Transfer Embarrasses Manchester United Yet Again

BILBAO, SPAIN – MAY 21: Alejandro Garnacho of Manchester United looks dejected following defeat in the UEFA Europa League Final 2025 between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United at Estadio de San Mames on May 21, 2025 in Bilbao, Spain. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)

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It’s less than a year since Manchester United’s official media channels were talking up the possibility of their 21-year-old winger becoming an all-timer.

In an article titled ‘Fans inspire Alejandro Garnacho to try and become a United legend’, the club waxed lyrical about the potential the young Argentinian forward had.

“Alejandro Garnacho believes that, with the Manchester United fans behind him, he can aspire to follow in the footsteps of some of the club’s famous wide players of the past,” the piece read.

“The names of the likes of George Best, Steve Coppell and Ryan Giggs live long in the memory for people of various generations, and Garnacho is just as determined to keep working hard and developing his game in order to fulfil his undoubted potential.”

Garnacho, who’d recently hit the milestone of 100 appearances for the club, was more than happy to let the love flow in both directions.

When asked about the fans’ idolisation of wingers, he said, “It is amazing to be part of that and I want to do something similar.

“They’re legends and they have done amazing things in their career. I want to be a legend at this club and to improve, week on week, to be an important figure here.”

Having joined United as a teenager and progressed through the ranks to the first team, Garnacho was also keen to emphasise his bond with supporters.

“Yeah, the truth is that I feel really connected to the fans,” he said.

“They always support us – win or lose. I have lots of admiration for how our fans are.

“For example, when we attack or have a chance, the fans shout and encourage us and that motivates you to continue and continue to try to score. Our fans are amazing.

“It always fills me with pride when I see people with my name on their shirt so I keep giving the best I can for the club.”

Nine months on, there is no possibility that Garnacho will emulate George Best or Ryan Giggs, nor will he have any special bond with the fans.

That’s because the Argentinian has been sold to Chelsea for $54 million.

This transfer is remarkable not only because of the words both parties were spouting about each other so recently, but because it also represents a massive about-turn from the club’s leadership.

At the start of the summer of 2024, media reports claimed Garnacho had been classed as one of the club’s three ‘untouchable’ players that not even the largest transfer fee would prise from Old Trafford.

Since then, United has, of course, changed its manager. It hired Ruben Amorim and the Portuguese coach decided within a matter of months that he believed the winger should be gotten rid of.

His determination that Garnacho was not up to scratch put executives in the embarrassing position of having to market a player they’d previously declared a crown jewel.

As a result, the $54 million paid by Chelsea seems a little low, but this is hardly a surprise given that United was in a weak negotiating position.

It was public knowledge in May that Amorim had told the Argentinian he could leave and after the Europa League final, Garnacho was insinuating as much.

But it’s still bizarre how a man being compared to the club legends was thrown on the scrapheap so quickly.

Perhaps the Red Devils were too quick to tout the possibility of him becoming a ‘legend,’ or maybe he’s been treated unfairly by Amorim?

The answer will come in how he performs in West London. He now carries substantial reputational damage from his former manager’s assessment.

However, as has been well-documented by players like Scott McTominay, Marcus Rashford and Antony it’s often the case that players thrive away from Old Trafford.

Although, as former Chelsea star Joe Cole pointed out, he faces a battle just to make the starting lineup at Stamford Bridge right now.

“He has moments where he looks sensational and looks outstanding,” he told TNT Sports.

“We see Manchester United probably isn’t a great environment for a young player at the moment. We’ve seen players like McTominay leave and thrive.

“There’s levels to go up for Garnacho. I think it’s a good price for Chelsea.

“There’s question marks on the lad, I don’t know him but the ins and outs and the things that come out from his camp and how he’s handled being dropped at Manchester United I think that needs to improve.

“If he wants to knuckle down and become a top player that he can become, he needs to come to a good environment which I think Chelsea is and grow from there. But there’s lots of competition for those wide positions.”

Garnacho is an incredibly talented player who has the potential to reach a very high level, so Manchester United should be confident that letting him go is definitely the right decision, not the whim of an overly emotional manager.

Should the latter turn out to be true, this will add to an already long list of sorry mistakes.