Alejandro Garnacho has opened up on the turbulent end to his Manchester United career, admitting that his own behaviour played a part in his departure from Old Trafford, confessing that leaving hurt more than he let on at the time.
The Argentine winger joined Chelsea in a £40 million deal last summer, but the move has yet to deliver the fresh start he was hoping for. But before looking ahead, Garnacho chose to look back.
In an honest new interview, the former Man Utd star has opened up about his final months at Old Trafford, explaining how he wasn’t always on his best behaviour.
Garnacho Talks About Man Utd Issues
Speaking to the Premier League, via Goal, the 21-year-old was honest about the final months of his time in Manchester, a period that saw him frozen out by Ruben Amorim amid reports of disciplinary issues and a breakdown in their relationship. Social media posts from Garnacho and his brother only raised the tension, as did an eyebrow-raising photograph of the player wearing an Aston Villa shirt with Marcus Rashford’s name and number on the back, a rather provocative gesture given Rashford’s own situation with the club at the time.
On his final months at Old Trafford, Garnacho recalled:
“I remember in the last six months I was just not playing like before at Manchester United. I started to be on the bench, it’s not [such a] bad thing, I was only 20 years old, but in my mind it was like I had to play every game.
“In my mind, maybe it is also on me, I started to do some bad things. But yes, it was just this moment in life and sometimes you have to make decisions and I am really proud to be here and still in the Premier League at a club like this.”
Garnacho Admits He ‘Loved’ Man Utd
Despite the bitterness surrounding his exit, Garnacho insists he holds no grudges against United or anyone connected to the club:
“At United [I] have nothing wrong to say about the club or any team-mates, no-one. Just a moment [in] life changed. My life continued. So we have to keep looking forward.”
When asked directly whether leaving hurt him, he didn’t shy away from the question, replying:
“Yeah, maybe yes, because I loved that club, you know? They gave me the confidence from the start, from Spain, to bring me to the academy, then they bring me to the first team, so it was like four or five years, and amazing love from everyone, from the fans, the stadium, everything was really good. It’s just sometimes you have to change for the good of your life or the next steps. I only have good memories of Man Utd.”
3 Man Utd Stars Who Tried To Step in & Change Garnacho’s Behaviour Under Amorim
While Amorim quickly lost patience with Garnacho, three senior stars tried their best to advise the player, but he just would not listen.
The difficulty is that life at Chelsea hasn’t been straightforward either. Garnacho arrived at Stamford Bridge with considerable expectations and a contract running until 2032, but consistency has eluded him. He’s managed only one Premier League goal in 20 appearances this season, and the appointment of Liam Rosenior following Enzo Maresca’s departure in January has done little to improve his fortunes. Chelsea’s poor league form and elimination from the Champions League have only added to the sense that things have not clicked for both player and club.
Now just a rotational option, Garnacho finds himself at a crossroads at just 21. Reports have emerged suggesting River Plate coach Eduardo Coudet has personally contacted the player regarding a potential loan back home to Argentina, a move that would have never been on the table not so long ago, when he was widely considered the future of the United attack.
For a player who arrived at Stamford Bridge desperate to put a difficult chapter behind him, Garnacho would have hoped the hard part was over. Eight months on, Chelsea are still waiting for the winger they thought they were getting for £40 million, and by his own admissions, Garnacho is still waiting to feel like that player too.
