Sir Jim Ratcliffe faces calls to maintain faith in 20-year-old Alejandro Garnacho following his decisive role in United’s remarkable Europa League comeback against Lyon.
Manchester United owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe faces calls to hold on to 20-year-old Alejandro Garnacho amid growing transfer speculation. He climbed through the club’s U18 and U21 sides before making his senior debut in April 2022. The Argentine idolises Cristiano Ronaldo and dreams of becoming United’s key player in the coming years.
A club legend like Rio Ferdinand urged Ratcliffe to place full trust in Garnacho after his electric display in the Europa League tie. He noted: “When defenders back off, Garnacho becomes a devastating threat.” He added that the 20-year-old must continue to work on his end product before reaching his full potential.
United produced an astonishing 5-4 comeback against Lyon to stay alive in the competition. United fell 2-0 behind early on but clawed back to lead 4-2 in extra time. Garnacho provided the crucial opener in the 10th minute with a fine assist for Manuel Ugarte.
Ruben Amorim’s preference for a 10-role and wing-back system has left Garnacho adapting to a new setup. The winger originally thrived on the left flank but now faces an uncertain role under the new head coach.
fotnet24.net reports that Chelsea and Napoli held talks with United in January but failed to reach an agreement. Bayer Leverkusen and Atletico Madrid have since entered the race to land the Argentine.
United value Garnacho at around £70 million. They plan to use add-ons to reach that figure if initial bids near £50 million.
Selling Garnacho could generate pure profit that United can reinvest in the squad this summer. Ratcliffe’s group must balance immediate financial gain against the benefits of nurturing a homegrown talent.
Supporters argue that developing Garnacho aligns with United’s long-term vision of squad evolution. Ratcliffe will face a decisive choice before the transfer window closes on 31 August 2025.
