Why Chelsea’s Alejandro Garnacho isn’t the next Harvey Elliott, even after a hard start at Aston Villa
Alejandro Garnacho has only played about 30 minutes in Aston Villa’s first five Premier League games, which has made some people wonder about his future just a month into the season.
He came to Villa from Chelsea this summer on a loan deal that could become permanent, but the exact details haven’t been shared.
However, Garnacho hasn’t featured in Villa’s last four games across the Premier League, Champions League, and Carabao Cup. This has led to comparisons with last season’s failed loan of Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott.
Elliott joined Villa under a similar deal, but it quickly became clear the permanent move would depend on how many games he played, and Villa’s manager Unai Emery wasn’t planning to keep him long-term. Soon after, the club’s football operations boss, Monchi, left Villa, adding to the uncertainty.
While Elliott got stuck in an awkward limbo all season, Garnacho’s case looks similar only on the surface. Villa’s loan for Elliott was rushed and poorly planned, and Emery openly admitted he didn’t want to make the permanent deal for the big fee.
With Garnacho, though, things feel different. Emery seems more invested in him than he ever was with Elliott. The manager has called Garnacho a “long-term” signing and, despite rumors that the player might leave, Emery appears patient and confident that Garnacho will start to make an impact.
Emery is a demanding coach who doesn’t rush new players into the team. He often says players learn at different speeds, and nothing he has said about Garnacho suggests anything unusual.
On top of that, Garnacho had a tough summer personally, didn’t have the easiest time at Chelsea, and even got a concussion during Villa’s pre-season in Asia. His chances to play have also been limited by George Hemmings, who’s performing well in Garnacho’s favorite left-wing spot. It might take some time for Garnacho to regain his confidence.
It’s true that the loan could still go wrong for both Garnacho and Villa, but it’s too simple to think the club would repeat the mistakes made with Elliott. Emery won’t pick a player he doesn’t believe is ready. That’s the one thing you can count on.
If Garnacho works hard, like Emery expects, moving to Villa could be just what he needs to get his career back on track.