Garnacho attracts La Liga interest after just 31 minutes of action at Aston Villa

Alejandro Garnacho is attracting interest from La Liga clubs after a deeply underwhelming start to his season-long loan at Aston Villa, with the Argentine winger yet to feature in any of the club’s last three matches.

The 22-year-old joined Villa Park from Chelsea in the summer on a temporary deal that includes a permanent clause worth around £43 million — a fee that now looks unlikely to be triggered. According to Mail Online, Spanish clubs are monitoring his situation, a development that carries some logic given Garnacho was born in Madrid and spent time in Atlético Madrid’s academy before moving to Manchester United as a teenager.

Villa manager Unai Emery has been candid about where Garnacho stands in his plans. “Continue working. Work, work, train, work,” Emery said when asked what the forward must do to earn minutes. “When he can have minutes to play, try to play well. He is progressing, but we have players in front of him now. George Hemmings is playing fantastic. Alysson is also understanding things well and is giving us things I want. Mbaye also responded well.”

Emery added that Garnacho’s limited involvement stems partly from circumstances during pre-season. “We want a competitive team and players to compete in the style we have. Garnacho is a little bit behind because of some circumstances we had in pre-season. It is time to be patient for the time he needs.”

Having also been left out of the latest Argentina squad, Garnacho will travel with Villa on a mid-season training camp in Spain — an opportunity he will be eager to use to impress his manager.

The move to Villa represents the latest chapter in what has become a turbulent few years for the former United academy product. After scoring 26 goals in 144 appearances for Manchester United, he joined Chelsea in a £40 million deal last summer. He contributed eight goals in 43 appearances across his debut campaign at Stamford Bridge, though only one of those came in the Premier League. Incoming Chelsea head coach Xabi Alonso made clear Garnacho had little future at the club, paving the way for the Villa loan. He still has just under six years remaining on his Chelsea contract.

Villa’s next Premier League fixture is against Brentford on 10 October, followed by their first home Champions League game of the campaign against Fenerbahçe — matches that will give Garnacho further chances to force his way into Emery’s thinking before any January decisions are made.