Chelsea open to selling Garnacho after one season, with United's 10% clause in play

Chelsea are prepared to let Alejandro Garnacho leave Stamford Bridge on a permanent basis this summer, according to reports, with the club understood to be seeking £40 million for the Argentina forward — the same fee they paid Manchester United last year.

Garnacho joined Chelsea in a £40 million deal late last summer after requesting a move away from Old Trafford, but his debut season in London has underwhelmed. The 20-year-old scored just eight goals in all competitions for Chelsea, with only one of those coming in the Premier League, and his position at the club has grown increasingly uncertain.

The arrival of Xabi Alonso as permanent head coach — following Liam Rosenior’s departure in April — has added further doubt over Garnacho’s future, with the new manager yet to signal whether the winger fits his plans.

Journalist Simon Phillips has reported that Chelsea would look to recoup the full £40 million they spent on Garnacho, though no specific suitors have been publicly identified at this stage.

Manchester United have a direct financial interest in the outcome. Embedded in last summer’s transfer agreement was a 10 per cent sell-on clause, meaning United would be entitled to £4 million if Chelsea complete a sale at the reported asking price — a modest but welcome boost for a club navigating significant financial constraints.

Former Chelsea defender Wayne Bridge, reflecting on Garnacho’s difficult first season, suggested the player may benefit from stronger personal guidance. “Sometimes I look at players with that much potential and wonder if they just need an old head or a father figure to work on the mental side,” Bridge told football.london. “I’m not saying that is definitely what he needs, but Glenn Hoddle did so much for me when I was young. He believed in me and had me doing visualisation techniques and meditation.”

With the summer transfer window approaching, Garnacho’s situation is one United will monitor closely — not only for sentimental reasons, but for the financial return a second sale could generate.