Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho has been told he can leave the club by manager Ruben Amorim amid reports of tension between the two.
The 20-year-old Argentina international, who had played a key role in United’s Europa League run, was used sparingly in the final—entering as a 71st-minute substitute in the 1-0 defeat to Tottenham. The decision sparked public discontent from Garnacho and his brother, with the player hinting at a possible departure in the aftermath.
“Up until the final I played every round helping the team, and today I play 20 minutes. I don’t know,” Garnacho said post-match. “The final will influence [my decision], but the whole season, the situation of the club. I’m going to try to enjoy the summer and see what happens afterwards.”
His brother, Roberto Garnacho, added fuel to the speculation with a strongly worded social media post: “Working as no one else, helping every round, coming from two goals in the last two finals, just to be on the pitch for 19 minutes and get thrown under the bus.”
According to The Athletic, Amorim has since informed Garnacho he is free to leave. The decision appears mutual, as the winger has struggled to fit into Amorim’s tactical system, which doesn’t accommodate traditional wide players. Despite being United’s second-highest scorer this season with 11 goals, Garnacho has frequently found himself on the fringes, particularly in key matches.
His omission from the starting XI in the Europa League final mirrored a December decision by Amorim to drop both Garnacho and Marcus Rashford for disciplinary reasons ahead of a derby win over Manchester City. While Garnacho returned quickly, tensions between player and manager have simmered since.
The situation could benefit United financially. As a homegrown player under the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability rules, Garnacho’s sale would count as pure profit on the books—potentially freeing up funds for new signings, particularly with Amorim planning to streamline his squad ahead of a European-free campaign next season.
Chelsea previously showed interest in the Spanish-born forward during the January window, though a deal failed to materialize. Serie A champions Napoli also remain admirers.
When asked on Saturday about Garnacho’s future, Amorim offered a guarded response.
“I will speak with my players, but the focus is the last game. I don’t know what is going to happen, but we have a plan,” he said. “We were prepared for both situations—with Champions League and without. We have an idea of the squad we want.”
It’s unclear whether Garnacho will feature in United’s final Premier League fixture against Aston Villa on Sunday, but all signs point to a summer exit for one of United’s brightest, yet most divisive, attacking prospects.
Meanwhile, United have been linked with Wolves forward Matheus Cunha, whose £62.5 million release clause could tempt Amorim as he looks to reshape the attack.
