Manchester United are in talks with Alejandro Garnacho and are reportedly confident of keeping the young star amid interest from other clubs.
Garnacho enjoyed a breakthrough at United last season, helping the club win the FA Youth Cup while also making his first-team debut. The 17-year-old forward is widely regarded as the most exciting prospect in the club’s academy and that status is set to be rewarded with a new contract, according to Manchester Evening News .
Talks are understood to be progressing well with Garnacho’s representatives, with United keen to ward off interest from the likes of Juventus. Garnacho only signed his first professional contract in July – and that deal runs until June 2025 – but his development in the 2021/22 season has already changed United’s thinking.
Garnacho contributed 14 goals and six assists across 34 appearances in all competitions for United’s youth under-18s and senior side last season. That included seven goals in six FA Youth Cup appearances, with the Argentine’s two strikes in the final ensuring United won the competition for the first time since 2011.
Garnacho was signed from Atletico Madrid in September 2020 for a fee of £420,000, with United getting his signature ahead of Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund. As well as breaking into the United first team, Garnacho was included in Argentina’s senior squad in March, although he is yet to make his debut.
The young forward, who generally plays off the left flank, has modelled his game on Cristiano Ronaldo. He should be given more time to train alongside Ronaldo, with Erik ten Hag reportedly keen to include Garnacho in his pre-season training camps.
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Garnacho has followed in the footsteps of Anthony Elanga, Marcus Rashford and Angel Gomes by being named as United under-18’s player of the year last month. He made his senior debut as a 91st-minute substitute in United’s 1-1 draw against Chelsea on April 28 and impressed interim boss Ralf Rangnick.
“[Garnacho] has been training with us for the last two weeks and I know that he is one of the most promising players,” Rangnick said at the time. “[He is] still only 17, but a player that hopefully if he keeps his feet on the ground. If he keeps trying to get better every day, then he will not only be sitting on the bench but there is every chance he will be playing for this club."
United will begin their pre-season on June 27 – 13 days after England's last international fixture this month. The club will play pre-season friendlies in Australia and the Far East this summer as part of their first pre-season tour for three years.
"I have high expectations from myself and that is also what I demand from my squad,” Ten Hag said of his pre-season plans last month. “They have to cooperate together and they have to give every day their best. And I would say, for me, good is not good enough. We have to do better.”
