Chelsea ready to sell Garnacho after one season, handing United a £4m windfall

Chelsea are prepared to sell Alejandro Garnacho this summer, less than 12 months after paying Manchester United £40 million for the Argentina winger, with a sell-on clause in the original deal set to hand United an additional £4 million should the transfer be finalised.

Garnacho joined Chelsea late last summer after making clear his desire to leave Old Trafford, but his debut campaign at Stamford Bridge has fallen well short of expectations. The 20-year-old managed just eight goals across all competitions, with only one coming in the Premier League, leaving his long-term future at the club in serious doubt.

According to The Sun, Chelsea are now willing to sanction a permanent exit for Garnacho in the upcoming window. Journalist Simon Phillips has separately reported that the club would seek to recoup the full £40 million they paid for him, though no specific suitors have been identified at this stage.

Garnacho’s uncertain outlook has been compounded by a change in the dugout, with Xabi Alonso taking charge on a permanent basis following Liam Rosenior’s departure in April. New managers frequently reassess inherited squads, and Garnacho’s limited output gives Alonso little reason to build around him.

United, meanwhile, stand to benefit financially from the situation. The sell-on clause of 10 per cent written into last summer’s agreement means they would receive a cut of whatever fee Chelsea command — potentially £4 million if the reported £40 million asking price is met.

Former Chelsea defender Wayne Bridge, reflecting on Garnacho’s difficult first season in west London, suggested the winger may need guidance off the pitch as much as on it. “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 earlier this month.