After only three appearances, Alejandro Garnacho gave Aston Villa a way out as his career hit a rough patch.
Aston Villa winger Alejandro Garnacho hasn’t been getting much game time lately and might be on his way out after making just three appearances.
Garnacho joined Villa on a season-long loan from Chelsea in July but has found it tough to get minutes under head coach Unai Emery. Emery has made it clear that Garnacho, who came through Manchester United’s academy, isn’t high up in the team lineup right now.
So far, the 22-year-old has only played 31 minutes for Villa, spread out over three games. Emery has preferred players like Emi Buendia, young George Hemmings, and new signing Ibrahim Mbaye on the left side, leaving Garnacho on the bench for the last two matches without bringing him on.
Now, reports from the Daily Mail say that several La Liga clubs are keeping an eye on Garnacho ahead of the January transfer window, suggesting he might leave Villa earlier than planned.
Garnacho’s loan deal has an easy-to-trigger buy option if he meets certain targets set by the clubs. Before joining United at 16, he played in the youth setups for both Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid.
Last season wasn’t easy for him at Chelsea either, scoring just one goal in 24 Premier League games after his £40 million move.
Emery has been honest about Garnacho needing to keep working hard to earn his spot. He said earlier this month, “When he gets minutes, he should try to play well. He’s improving, but we have other players ahead of him right now.”
He added, “George is doing fantastic. Alysson is learning well and giving us what we need. Mbaye has also stepped up. We want a strong, competitive team, and Garnacho is a bit behind because of pre-season issues. He just needs more patience.”
Emery is known for giving new signings time to settle in—he waited until November 2023 to start Youri Tielemans in the Premier League after signing him in June, and Tielemans later became key for the team.
Villa will be back playing at home against Brentford after the international break.