Spanish clubs monitoring Alejandro Garnacho amid Aston Villa struggles
The Argentine winger has played only 31 minutes for Unai Emery's side since his summer loan move from Chelsea.
La Liga clubs are reportedly keeping tabs on Alejandro Garnacho, the Argentine winger who joined Aston Villa on loan from Chelsea this summer. Garnacho has struggled to make an impact since his arrival at Villa Park, accumulating just 31 minutes of competitive playing time under manager Unai Emery.
The loan deal includes a clause for a permanent £43 million transfer if certain conditions are met, which Chelsea reportedly considers easily achievable. However, Garnacho has yet to make a starting appearance for Villa and has been an unused substitute in their last two matches.
His presence on the bench for Villa's recent 3-2 victory over Tottenham was reportedly due to an injury to Brazilian winger Alysson. Despite the current situation, there are no current discussions among the parties involved to alter the terms of the transfer agreement.
Garnacho, who was born in Madrid, has a connection to Spain, having spent time in the Atletico Madrid academy before moving to Manchester United in 2020. Several Spanish top-flight clubs are said to be watching his progress closely.
Emery has acknowledged Garnacho's presence and indicated that competition for places is high. "Continue working. Work, work, train, work," Emery said when asked about the winger. "When he can have minutes to play, try to play well. He is progressing, but we have players in front of him now."
Emery cited the strong performances of other players, including George Hemmings, Emi Buendia, Ibrahim Mbaye, and Alysson, as reasons for Garnacho's limited game time. "George Hemmings is playing fantastic. Alysson is also understanding things well and is giving us things I want. Mbaye also responded well," Emery added. "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."
Despite his current challenges, the season is still in its early stages. Garnacho could potentially earn more opportunities in October and November if he performs well during Villa's international break training camp in Seville.