Garnacho's £43m Villa buyout clause under threat as La Liga clubs circle struggling winger

Alejandro Garnacho’s season-long loan at Aston Villa is in danger of unravelling before it has properly begun, with the Argentine winger reduced to 31 minutes of Premier League action and a £43m permanent buyout clause looking increasingly unlikely to be triggered.

Garnacho joined Villa on loan from Chelsea — who signed him from Manchester United for £40m last year — with a clause allowing Unai Emery’s side to make the deal permanent for £43m. That figure would have generated roughly £300,000 for United through a 10 per cent sell-on arrangement tied to Chelsea’s profit on the transfer. With Garnacho yet to make a meaningful impact at Villa Park, that financial return now appears in jeopardy.

The 22-year-old has not come off the bench in each of Villa’s last three matches and was notably absent from Lionel Scaloni’s latest Argentina squad. Emery acknowledged the forward is behind his teammates in terms of sharpness, pointing to a disrupted pre-season as a contributing factor.

“Continue working. Work, work, train, work,” Emery said. “When he can have minutes to play, try to play well. He is progressing, but we have players in front of him now. 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.”

Emery also highlighted the form of teammates George Hemmings, Alysson, and Ibrahim Mbaye as reasons for Garnacho’s limited opportunities, suggesting competition for places is fierce.

Should Villa decline to activate the permanent option, Garnacho would return to Chelsea, who would then face a decision on his future. According to Mail Online, La Liga clubs are monitoring the situation and could move for the winger if he becomes available. Garnacho grew up in Madrid and joined United from Atletico Madrid’s academy in 2020, giving a potential Spanish move some personal logic — though any bid north of £40m looks fanciful given his current form.

Since leaving Old Trafford, Garnacho has registered just one Premier League goal and four assists, a return that has disappointed supporters who watched him emerge as one of United’s most exciting young talents. Comparisons are already being drawn to Harvey Elliott’s unsuccessful loan spell at Villa, raising questions about whether the club’s style under Emery suits the winger’s game.