Alejandro Garnacho Faces Tough Times at Aston Villa with Possible January Move

Alejandro Garnacho's start at Aston Villa has been disappointing. The Argentine winger arrived on loan from Chelsea this summer, with a clause requiring Villa to pay £43 million if certain conditions are met. Despite the promise, things have not gone well.

His situation is already being compared to that of Harvey Elliott, who signed a similar deal with Villa in 2025. Elliott barely featured, playing only nine times all season because manager Unai Emery avoided triggering a permanent transfer.

Garnacho has featured just three times in the league for a total of 31 minutes. For the past four matches in all competitions, he has remained on the bench.

Emery Shares Insights on Garnacho's Role

In January last year, Emery openly discussed Elliott's lack of involvement, revealing Villa had decided against signing him permanently due to doubts about his value. 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 spoken as frankly about Garnacho, the signs point to a similar pattern. He acknowledged how far down the pecking order Garnacho is:

"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."

Emery named George Hemmings, Alysson, and Ibrahim Mbaye as preferred choices ahead of Garnacho:

• George Hemmings: "Playing fantastic"
• Alysson: "Understanding things well and giving us things I want"
• Ibrahim Mbaye: "Also responded well"

The manager emphasized the competitive nature of the squad and mentioned that Garnacho’s pre-season circumstances contributed to his current standing. Patience is needed for his chances to improve.

Potential January Exit to La Liga

If Garnacho’s struggles continue, there might be an opportunity for him to leave in January. Reports from the Daily Mail indicate several La Liga clubs are watching the winger closely ahead of the winter transfer window.

This could provide Garnacho with a fresh start and more consistent playing time. It would also bring him back closer to home since the 22-year-old was born in Madrid and spent part of his youth career at Atletico Madrid before joining Manchester United in 2020 at age 16.

Interestingly, during the international break, Aston Villa traveled to Spain for a training camp in Seville. Garnacho will be there while most of the squad is away on international duty. His last appearance for Argentina was in 2024, so this period might be a chance to impress Emery before Premier League action resumes on October 10.