Alejandro Garnacho’s raw talent splits Chelsea experts as wantaway Man United player lacks crucial elite skill

Players swapping between Manchester United and Chelsea isn’t always a success, so the latest linked with the switch is certainly dividing opinion.

Following Jadon Sancho from Old Trafford to Stamford Bridge could be Alejandro Garnacho, as talkSPORT understands the Blues have expressed their interest in the 20-year-old.

2

We earlier reported that the Argentine has major doubts about his future under Ruben Amorim as he doesn’t fit into the new manager’s 3-4-2-1 system.

The wideman was dropped for the Manchester derby in December and is yet to score in his 14 appearances under the Portuguese, eight of which were off the bench.

Napoli have also moved for Garnacho, but links to Chelsea are causing intrigue, with talkSPORT host and former Blues defender Jason Cundy not sure what to make of them. 

“I think we’re looking at that situation [where they have to sell due to financial rules] Garnacho could leave,” he said on Inside Chelsea.

“I’m amazed the Garnacho situation has come up, he’s had a bit of a tricky time, my understanding is the way Amorim plays there’s not a position for him and they’re happy to move him on, I think it may well be a loan to see how things go.

“It doesn’t surprise me at all that Chelsea are interested, if you go back under the reign of Erik ten Hag there weren’t many success stories but he was one of them.

“I like what I see, I think there’s still a little bit of rawness, there are moments where I think ‘this kid has got so much’ but it’s about what the ceiling is with him and I don’t quite know what it is, but we’re a football club that are quite happy to take misfits, Sancho is the perfect example.

“You think that player isn’t good enough for you? We’ll take him on at the right price.”

Despite Cundy’s keenness, fellow Inside Chelsea pundit Matisse Hofer wasn’t so sure, and explained his reasoning in depth.

He said: “I don’t like it, the player is raw, I think his decision making is still in its early stages, he’s obviously played quite a bit of football so sometimes even if you are young if you’ve played a significant amount of football that is enough of a catalogue to see what ceiling you’re looking at.

2

“I don’t think he’s an elite level dribbler – I think our wingers often play the hardest position in our team because they don’t always get that overlap or that support from the fullback because they do tuck in and go into midfield.

“Sometimes you’re isolated and in a two-vs-one situation and I don’t think he’s got that genius about him in his game to put bums on seats in a stadium like an [Edin] Hazard.”

Taking the point, Cundy agreed, but still wouldn’t turn down the Argentine for the right price.

“He’s a bit of an Anthony Gordon, he’s not a Ryan Giggs, there’s industry and I’ve seen enough to not say no,” he said. 

“If he turned up tomorrow and we found out he’s on that left hand side, I’m not sure our left hand side is that great.”

But Matisse hadn’t finished, capping off the debate by saying: “I’m not sure Garnacho drastically improves that.

“If I’m looking at Chelsea trying to be Premier League title contenders next season I don’t think he’s a signing that takes this Chelsea team to that level.”

Price is very likely to be a stumbling block too, with United rating the player at £70million.

Antonio Conte’s Serie A title challengers Napoli are said to have failed with two bids, meaning that Chelsea would almost certainly have to pay a decent fee.

Yet they would be adding a player who has 23 goals and 14 assists in 118 games and 69 starts for United, while he’s even got eight caps for World Cup and Copa America winners Argentina.

And let’s not forget about that Puskas Award winning overhead kick against Everton either…