Alejandro Garnacho Faces Tough Start at Aston Villa with Potential January Move
Alejandro Garnacho has endured a difficult beginning to his time at Aston Villa. The Argentine winger joined Villa on loan from Chelsea this summer, with an obligation to buy for £43 million if certain conditions are met.
His current situation recalls that of Harvey Elliott, who joined Villa in 2025 on a similar deal but only made nine appearances as the club avoided triggering a permanent transfer.
Garnacho has so far appeared just three times, all in Premier League matches, totaling only 31 minutes on the pitch. For the last four games across all competitions, he has remained unused on the bench.
Unai Emery Comments on Garnacho's Status
Emery was more candid last season about Elliott’s case, revealing that Villa had decided against signing him permanently despite the loan terms. He said:
"The problem we have with Harvey is that this year he is on loan, and in case he plays matches we must buy him. We decided two months ago that we are not convinced to sign him, spending the money we would need to sign him. This is the only issue. He is training every day, always every day with very good behaviour and to help us in training sessions. This is not something good for him and good for us, but this is football and sometimes we must take some decisions which are not good for everyone."
While Emery hasn’t been as blunt about Garnacho, the message feels familiar. When asked about Garnacho’s path back into the team, Emery said:
"Continue working. Work, work, train, work. When he can have minutes to play, try and play well. He is progressing, but we have players in front of him now."
He mentioned several players ahead of Garnacho, including George Hemmings, Alysson, and Ibrahim Mbaye, praising their performances and integration into the team style. Emery added that Garnacho fell behind partly due to pre-season issues and urged patience.
Possible January Exit on the Horizon
With his prospects limited, Garnacho might find relief in a move during the January transfer window. Reports from the Daily Mail suggest several La Liga clubs are keeping an eye on the 22-year-old winger.
This could provide Garnacho with a way out of Villa Park and a chance for more consistent playing time. It also represents a return to Spain, where he was born in Madrid and spent part of his youth career at Atletico Madrid before transferring to Manchester United in 2020 at age 16.
In an interesting twist, Garnacho will be training in Seville during the international break while Villa hold a camp in Spain. His last appearance for Argentina came in 2024, and this period might offer an opportunity to impress Emery before Premier League fixtures resume on October 10.
