Manchester United will refuse to allow Alejandro Garnacho to play in the Under-20 World Cup as they have decided to keep the winger for the end of the Premier League season and the FA Cup final.
Garnacho, who is set to return to training after seven weeks out with a foot injury, has four goals in five caps for Argentina’s Under-20 side.
Javier Mascherano’s side had failed to qualify for the World Cup but then became the hosts when the tournament was moved from Indonesia and Garnacho was expected to be selected.
But United manager Erik ten Hag said: “We don’t release him. He will return tomorrow in team training, partially. Then we will have to see when he can return totally in the training, and back into games.”
Garnacho has scored four goals in 29 games for United this season and could instead feature in their push for a top-four finish and June’s FA Cup final against Manchester City.
Ten Hag has told his players that Bruno Fernandes should be an inspiration to them with his willingness to suffer and sacrifice himself for the cause by playing through the pain barrier.
The Portuguese left Wembley in a protective boot after suffering a foot problem in the FA Cup semi-final against Brighton but passed himself fit to face Tottenham four days later and played the full 90 minutes in Thursday’s 2-2 draw.
And Ten Hag said: “Big compliment on Bruno, he absolutely doesn’t want to miss this game, and he did everything to get fit. I think he is the example, that you have to suffer, that you have to sacrifice, when you want to play at the top level, when you want to achieve something.
“So once again he showed again how great a captain he is. How has taken responsibility. Even when he is not 100 per cent fit. But he did the job, he was important in this game as well. Hopefully others in the team can, not learn, but they see him as an inspiration and do the same.”
