Chelsea is reportedly nearing an agreement with Manchester United for a £40 million transfer of Alejandro Garnacho, which appears to be a significant acquisition for the club.
Initially, United was holding out for £50 million for the young Argentine, but according to The Telegraph, Ruben Amorim’s public declaration that Garnacho had no future at Old Trafford altered the course of negotiations. After Garnacho made it clear that it was ‘Chelsea or nothing,’ BlueCo merely had to wait for United to relent, which they eventually did.
We noted last week, amidst reports that United would remain firm on their valuation, that Chelsea should seek to have a significant portion of the fee structured as add-ons. This serves as a form of ‘Pr*ck Protection’ should Garnacho choose to post a controversial image wearing a rival club’s kit or disrespect the fans. Nonetheless, Chelsea considers the £40 million fee to be quite reasonable, even if there’s a possibility that Garnacho may struggle to find his form at Stamford Bridge.
There’s a debate on whether Chelsea genuinely needs Garnacho, especially following the summer signing of Jamie Gittens. With Pedro Neto and Joao Pedro also options on the left flank, and Mykhaylo Mudryk potentially returning—though not with much enthusiasm—the necessity is questionable.
However, Chelsea’s approach in this transfer window has been noteworthy, as they have sold 12 players, nearly balancing out their eight new arrivals to achieve a net spending of nearly zero, including three who were acquired just last summer. This strategy reflects a mindset where players are viewed as assets to be traded, devoid of much emotional attachment. Garnacho represents an opportunity they cannot afford to overlook.
According to The Telegraph, ‘Chelsea have conducted a number of assessments regarding his character and work ethic, although it is acknowledged that his performance will ultimately be the true measure of his success.’ Importantly, the reduced fee means Chelsea won’t require Garnacho to make significant improvements to secure a profit.
The report further states:
‘At the negotiated deal level, there exists a viable market for Garnacho beyond Chelsea should his time in west London not pan out. Generally speaking, Chelsea’s dealings are concluded with the prospect of trading the player down the line if necessary.’
Assuming he doesn’t disrupt the dynamics as he did under Ruben Amorim, or even if he does but without much fanfare from Chelsea, replicating his last season’s tally of ten goals and ten assists could generate significant interest next summer.
Noni Madueke netted ten goals and five assists before Arsenal acquired him for £48 million. Anthony Elanga’s six goals and 12 assists led to Newcastle’s £52 million deal for him. Furthermore, Chelsea themselves brought Jamie Gittens from Borussia Dortmund for £48.5 million after he achieved 12 goals and five assists. Garnacho boasts more goal contributions than any of these players and arguably possesses the greatest potential.
There’s a strong possibility that Garnacho will excel at Chelsea—he’s an immense talent eager to represent the club—but the transfer fee offers a shrewd organization a safety net in what feels more like a business arrangement rather than merely an investment in a player believed to be a game-changer on the field.
Image Source: Alejandro Garnacho @ Instagram
