OPINION: From Man United to Chelsea and now Villa – Garnacho is in last chance saloon

Unai Emery and Aston Villa will eventually give us that answer. If the Argentina international believes he can saunter through this coming season at Villa Park, he’ll be in for a rude awakening. Just ask Jadon Sancho. Or Harvey Elliott. Or even Leon Bailey. If you don’t fit. If you don’t meet his expectations. Emery will simply bounce you out. And that’s even if it financially penalises the club.

Still only 22, if we count his original move from Atletico Madrid, this will be Garnacho’s fourth major club of his career. Mocked by his former Manchester United teammates after defeat with Chelsea in April. Pulled apart – mercilessly – by his old academy manager, Nicky Butt. And now dumped by Chelsea into the arms of Emery and Villa. This is real last chance saloon stuff for Garnacho. Sure, even if he fluffs this move, there’ll be clubs eager to take him on. But not at the status he believes he deserves. And certainly not at the status his potential suggested at 18 years of age.

Is there still a player in there? For this column, the answer remains in the affirmative. But changes need to be made. Garnacho, for at least the past two years, has been more Instagram model than model professional. The football almost appeared an inconvenience to his life online. It’s been a habit that has routinely – predictably – dragged him into trouble. From United to Chelsea, even warring with Argentina fans and an apparent swipe at coach Lionel Scaloni before the World Cup, it’s as if he can’t help but consistently press the self-destruct button. As we say, the chances of redemption are slipping away.

But there is a player in there. The goal at Everton is the highlight many like to nominate as the best of Garnacho. But that was one moment. One instant of potential. The zenith of this young career. The selling point which surely helped those arguing Garnacho’s case inside Bodymoor Heath came earlier in his career. That was March 2024, still only two years ago, when Garnacho helped an Erik ten Hag Manchester United defeat Liverpool in a classic FA Cup quarterfinal.

It was Garnacho, deep into the first-half of extra-time at Old Trafford, who sprinted the full length of the pitch before laying the ball off for Amad Diallo to drive home his matchwinner on the day. Making Garnacho’s efforts all the more impressive was the revelation in the aftermath that he’d missed much of the week’s training in the lead-up due to a hamstring strain. Yet, he still had it in him to not only last the 120 minutes, but blow his Liverpool opponents away with that extra-time length-of-the-pitch sprint. Indeed, Garnacho even made a dummy run after passing to Amad to give his teammate that extra second to pick his spot.

It was courageous. Selfless. And required some skill to do all that not just at break-neck speed – but after participating in a helter-skelter 4-3 Cup tie for over 110 minutes. It was a show of effort that brought an appreciative embrace from his captain, Bruno Fernandes, as the winner was celebrated. That moment epitomised the potential of Garnacho. Of what he was capable of and what he could potentially achieve. A snapshot of everything that was good in this player.

This column can’t tell you how many ex-United players Garnacho made happy that day. The conversations in the aftermath would invariably lead to that run, that pass, that goal – and always end with a burst of laughter given the opponents were Liverpool. At the time, the admiration was there. Even the buzz around what Garnacho could become. In chatting with these ex-pros, this column felt it. They had one, they really felt they had one.

But today…? Today Garnacho’s career reads very differently. It’s all uncertainty. Flux. Aston Villa represents a new chance. A fresh start. He’ll go there believing himself to be the most talented player on the club’s books. And to be fair, for this column, he’d be correct. But that’s only in potential. In what could be. But to fulfil those expectations Garnacho needs to change. The past two years haven’t worked.

Indeed, he could do worse than look at his two new senior teammates, John McGinn and Ezri Konsa, and ask himself ‘why have they thrived under Emery?’. Follow their example – not just in and around the dressing room – but also away from the club. Of course, talent-wise, Garnacho is far superior, but in terms of approach and application, he couldn’t lace either man’s boots -at least not at this stage of his career.

But Aston Villa, the manager and the dressing room could be the making of Alejandro Garnacho. It’s just a question of whether this time, with this move, the penny will drop.