Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has expressed confidence in Alejandro Garnacho's potential for growth, amid increasing transfer speculation surrounding the young winger from Chelsea and Napoli.
Despite the mounting transfer interest, Amorim selected Garnacho for the starting lineup in United's Europa League encounter with Rangers, where the team secured a crucial 2-1 victory. The Argentine international demonstrated his value to the team, coming tantalizingly close to breaking his scoring drought when he struck the woodwork in the second half.
The situation around Garnacho has become more complex due to Manchester United's financial considerations. The club has reportedly made him available for transfer, as his high market value could help alleviate pressure from the Premier League's profitability and sustainability rules following significant spending in recent years.
While Garnacho's relationship with Amorim got off to a rocky start, resulting in his omission from the Manchester derby due to training ground issues, he quickly redeemed himself unlike teammate Marcus Rashford. The young winger has since proved his worth, providing key assists in recent matches, including setting up Amad Diallo's equalizer at Anfield and creating Bruno Fernandes's goal in the FA Cup victory over Arsenal.
In a post-match press conference, Amorim addressed the transfer speculation while praising Garnacho's development: "I think he's improving in every aspect of the game, he was better today playing inside, also outside, changing positions, he's improving the recovering position." The manager particularly highlighted Garnacho's work rate, noting his consistent effort until the final whistle and his healthy frustration indicating a desire for continuous improvement.
Amorim also took the opportunity to dismiss suggestions about needing new signings to stamp his authority on the team, stating firmly: "It's not other manager's players, now they are my players." The Portuguese manager emphasized his focus on working with the current squad while acknowledging the club's situation.
The victory against Rangers has positioned Manchester United favorably in the Europa League, elevating them to fourth place with one game remaining in the League Phase. The team now turns its attention to their upcoming Premier League fixture against Fulham, where they will seek to bounce back from their disappointing loss to Brighton, which Amorim had described as the worst performance in the club's history.
