Alejandro Garnacho Joins Aston Villa Camp Amid Fight for Emery’s Trust
Alejandro Garnacho has been left out of Argentina’s latest squad and will instead join Aston Villa’s mid-season camp in Seville, with the winger facing a crucial spell to force his way into Unai Emery’s plans.
Garnacho running out of time at Villa
The 22-year-old has played only 31 competitive minutes since arriving at Villa Park on a season-long loan from Chelsea. He has not featured in Villa’s previous three matches and was only included among the substitutes for the 3-2 win over Tottenham after Brazilian wide man Alysson suffered an injury.
Emery currently has several options ahead of Garnacho on the left side, with George Hemmings impressing in recent appearances. Emi Buendia, Ibrahim Mbaye and John McGinn are also ahead of the Argentina international in the current selection order.
- Garnacho joined Villa on loan after Chelsea decided he did not fit into Xabi Alonso’s new plans.
- His deal includes conditions that could turn the move into a permanent £43 million transfer.
- Those targets had been viewed as attainable by Chelsea, but his limited involvement now makes them difficult to reach.
- Villa and Chelsea are not pursuing changes to the existing agreement.
Emery demands patience and hard work
After Villa’s Carabao Cup win against Coventry, Emery made clear that Garnacho must keep training and be ready when an opportunity arrives. The manager said the forward is improving but must overcome the players currently performing ahead of him.
Emery pointed to the form of Hemmings, plus the contributions of Alysson and Mbaye, while explaining that Garnacho has been held back by issues during pre-season. Villa’s head coach wants strong competition throughout the squad but believes the loanee needs time before he can challenge for regular minutes.
Spanish interest as former United winger seeks reset
Clubs in Spain are monitoring Garnacho’s situation as uncertainty grows around his Villa future. A switch to La Liga would take him back to the country where he was born: Madrid-born Garnacho spent time in Atletico Madrid’s academy before moving to Manchester United in 2020.
His current position marks a sharp change from his progress at Old Trafford, where he scored 26 goals across 144 appearances. Chelsea paid £40 million for him last summer, and he returned eight goals in 43 matches during his first campaign at Stamford Bridge, although just one of those goals came in the Premier League.
Garnacho still has almost six years remaining on his Chelsea contract, but he was sent to Villa after Alonso’s arrival in west London.
What happens next
Villa do not return to Premier League action until Brentford visit on 10 October, leaving almost three weeks for Garnacho to make an impression in Seville. Emery’s side then host Fenerbahce in their first home Champions League match.
A busier schedule could create rotation opportunities for the winger, but Garnacho must use the training camp and the coming fixtures to revive a loan move that has so far barely started.
