Alejandro Garnacho calls Chelsea transfer a 'step forward' & insists he has no regrets about acrimonious end to Man Utd career

Chelsea initially attempted to structure the transfer as a player-plus-cash deal, offering Romeo Lavia as part of the package. While the Blues were willing to reduce the overall fee if United accepted the 21-year-old midfielder in return, the proposal was rejected. United, aware of Lavia’s persistent fitness problems since joining Chelsea from Southampton, felt he could not be relied upon to strengthen a midfield already low on durability. They instead pushed for a straight cash agreement and eventually bid farewell to Garnacho, as revealed by ESPN.

Garnacho addressed reporters in Bergamo ahead of Chelsea’s Champions League meeting with Atalanta. Calm, composed and unapologetic, the Argentine winger made it clear that the decision to move was deliberate and necessary.

Asked if he regretted how his United story ended, with public criticism of Amorim leading to his exile from the first team squad, he responded with a blunt "No". When pressed on whether he felt sadness, he again replied: "No."

Expanding on his switch to Chelsea, he said: "I came here to play my football, to show people the player I am. Sometimes in life, you have to change things to maybe take a step forward or to improve as a player. It was the right moment, and also the right club, so it was an easy decision.

"The most important thing is confidence. He (Enzo Maresca) speaks with me every week. We are going to get better, me as a player and the team together, with time. We started the season three months ago, so it’s building confidence."

Chelsea boss Maresca went on to offer his assessment of Garnacho's first few months at Stamford Bridge: "He can give much more, but not only Alejandro. I think all the players, we try to work every day with them, just to try to improve them. It's been quite easy to work with him, in terms of he wants to learn, he's open-minded, he's working good on the ball and off the ball. And then again, some games he's better, some games he tries a little bit more. But overall he's doing well with us."

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Maresca also delivered a stern warning to his players about Atalanta's intense defensive system. 

He said: "You can see most of the teams play five at the back, most of the teams try to play man-to-man everywhere. If you go to the toilet, they follow you everywhere."

Cole Palmer did not travel with the squad, with the club mindful of his delicate fitness situation. The England international has managed just six appearances this season after battling multiple setbacks. Chelsea are determined not to rush him into a congested schedule he is currently ill-equipped to handle.

"We need to protect Cole for sure, 100%. Not only Cole in my personal view because as I said now because of the Club World Cup or because we never stop, we need to manage and protect different players," Maresca added. "He's not available. He can’t play two games in a row in three days so we've planned this and it's a way to protect him. [He] played half an hour the other day, played one hour today. So now it's important that he can build the physical condition."

Chelsea’s schedule only gets busier after their trip to Italy. They host Everton in the Premier League on Saturday and then take on League One side Cardiff City in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals three days later. However, Maresca has been boosted with the availability of Wesley Fofana and captain Reece James.