Alejandro Garnacho’s time at Manchester United was marked by his fiery temperament and public outbursts, which drew the ire of some supporters.
However, since his switch to Chelsea, the Argentine’s attitude in training has reportedly won over the coaching staff. The 21 year old concluded his stint at United at the end of August, securing a £40m transfer to Stamford Bridge.
Garnacho was initially brought in from Atletico Madrid for a nominal fee in 2020 and went on to make 144 appearances for the Reds. His career at Old Trafford ultimately came to a halt after struggling to adapt to Ruben Amorim‘s system.
In December, he was benched for the Manchester derby alongside Marcus Rashford, and later omitted from the Europa League final in Bilbao. coming off the bench in the second half of the game. Garnacho voiced his frustration over limited playing time in a post-match interview, and faced fan backlash in June when he posted a holiday snap wearing Rashford’s Aston Villa shirt.
Upon returning from his holiday, the winger joined the so-called ‘bomb squad’ and requested his departure from Old Trafford. However, his tenure under Enzo Maresca at Chelsea appears to be taking a different path.
According to Give Me Sport, Garnacho has made a positive impression on the Blues’ staff at Cobham and they have been impressed by his ‘attitude and intensity’ in training.
He’s reportedly been putting in extra effort to improve his decision-making in the final third and has made it a habit to stay behind after training to perfect his finishing and crossing. Coaching staff are understood to regard that dedication as a telling sign of his attitude.
Sources within the camp also indicate that he’s ‘soaking up everything’ and remains eager to make his mark. Beyond the training pitch, Garnacho is thought to be settling well into life in west London.
Compatriot Enzo Fernandez has reportedly helped Garnacho acclimatise to his new environment, with younger South American colleagues also lending support.
The 21-year-old has appeared in Chelsea’s previous four Premier League matches on the left wing and scored his first goal for the club during their home defeat to Sunderland. Although he has yet to complete a full 90 minutes and had a clash with Pedro Neto last month against Nottingham Forest – and was then substituted at half-time – Garnacho has impressed Maresca.
Speaking about the Argentine and fellow summer signing Jamie Gittens, the Chelsea manager commented: “They are both adapting to our the way we work every day. They are both doing well.
“This is what we want from our wingers, you know, score goals and assist, and it’s good to have both doing well so we can choose one or the other one.”