Man Utd's Alejandro Garnacho gamble: Red Devils risk watching homegrown winger become world star away from Old Trafford as they go all in on Ruben Amorim

Amorim has his reasons for casting Garnacho aside, with the player's petulant remarks after not starting the Europa League final being the most serious in a line of missteps.

The coach did not approve of Garnacho'ss attitude to training less than one month after taking the United job, and dropped him for the derby at Manchester City in December along with Marcus Rashford. Amorim quickly reintegrated Garnacho - unlike Rashford - and praised him for showing an improved attitude and adapting to his style of play, only for the Portuguese to be embarrassed by the player storming down the tunnel after being substituted against Ipswich Town. It was an act which hit Garnacho in the pocket as he invited the team out to dinner to say sorry.

Now, though, there is no going back after Amorim informed Garnacho in front of his team-mates at training last Saturday that he would have to leave the club this summer. The player can have no real complaints. In the now infamous interview with Spanish media in the mixed zone at San Mames - in which the player had protested about not starting the final and criticised his side for "beating no one in the league" - he had suggested he was already considering his future. "I'm going to enjoy the summer and see what happens after," he said.

While neither Garnacho's representatives nor United have commented on Amorim's reported ultimatum, the winger's girlfriend sought to take control of the narrative by announcing on Instagram that the season-ending game against Aston Villa - which the winger was not included in the squad for - was her last. Garnacho's body language during the post-season tour of Asia, meanwhile, has also painted the picture of a player who does not have much of a future at United.

Amorim reportedly told Garnacho "you better pray a club wants to sign you", but the truth is the player should have no issues finding any suitors. Napoli were keen on him in January, although their £40 million ($53m) bid was rejected by United. Chelsea were also interested, while in the aftermath of Saturday's showdown talks with Amorim it has been reported that Napoli have renewed their interest in Garnacho while AC Milan have also entered the race.

Garnacho's numbers in a badly-performing United team should also help his cause. He has contributed to 48 goals in 144 appearances for United, many of which were not starts. He is also a prolific chance-creator and has been playing in a team that is severely lacking in a proper presence inside the box. Data shows that Garnacho provides the third-most balls across the goal in Europe's top five leagues among players aged under 21, only trailing Lamine Yamal and Desire Doue.

Garnacho has also got an excellent fitness record. The only major absence in his three years with the first team at Old Trafford came after he suffered an unfortunate ankle injury against Southampton in March 2023, which led him to miss just under two months of action. Otherwise he is capable of playing twice a week and giving his all while doing so.

Described as "a showman" by United's head of academy Nick Cox - the man who signed him from Atletico Madrid in 2020 - Garnacho has a knack for generating excitement every time he picks the ball up. And let's not forget he does not turn 21 until July, meaning offers are sure to flood in when the transfer window opens. All Amorim has done is drive the price down as interested clubs will know that the coach has now staked his reputation on getting rid of of one of his most decisive attackers.

United have got rid of plenty of players in the last couple of years who they felt were not performing well enough, only to see them excel elsewhere. A whole host of flagging careers have been completely revitalised since leaving Old Trafford.

Rashford has played his way back into the England squad thanks to his performances on loan at Aston Villa, while fellow wide forward Antony has become an icon at Real Betis and earned a recall to the Brazil squad.

Scott McTominay has achieved legendary status at Napoli; David de Gea has rediscovered his love for the game after coming close to retirement following his acrimonious departure from the club; Aaron Wan-Bissaka, always seen as a one-v-one defending specialist, has turned into one of West Ham's best attackers; Anthony Elanga has helped propel Nottingham Forest back into Europe.

These players, who were regarded as anywhere between underwhelming and total flop status, have discovered that life beyond United can be far more enjoyable than within the walls of Old Trafford and Carrington. So as one of the best players United have had in the last couple of years, Garnacho has nothing to fear about taking his career in a new direction.

United, though, have a lot to lose.

Garnacho has often resembled a young Cristiano Ronaldo in his first few years at United. Ronaldo, like Garnacho, came into the senior team as an 18-year-old and generated huge excitement with his debut display against Bolton Wanderers. But in those early years, he was also frustrating and often unproductive. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner scored only 18 times in his first three campaigns in the Premier League despite playing for a United team challenging for the title. In a team that finished eighth last year and 15th this season, Garnacho has a total of 16 league goals.

He became the first teenager to score in an FA Cup final for 20 years. The last to do so? Ronaldo. Garnacho's bicycle kick at Everton also drew comparisons with Ronaldo's goal for Real Madrid against Juventus in 2018, in addition to Wayne Rooney's famous strike against Manchester City in 2011. Both players pulled off their goals at the height of their careers, while Garnacho was in the infancy of his.

The forward's comments after the Europa League final game did smack of self-importance, but they also showed Garnacho's confidence. This is a player who has never lacked ambition, belief or drive. When Cox was trying to assess Garnacho's character when attempting to sign him in 2020, he recalled to GOAL: "He knew that he wanted to be the best footballer he could possibly be and would have gone to any length to do that. He had a hunger to play in the Premier League and he had a real appetite to play for Manchester United."

Unfortunately, Amorim does not share that same appetite for Garnacho to stay at the club. It is no great surprise given that the coach's 3-4-2-1 formation does not play to his biggest strength, which is cutting inside from the wing, especially on the counter-attack. It is understandable that Amorim wants the players he thinks best suit his style of play, and that is why he has urged the club to sign Matheus Cunha, who has spent the last five months playing in a 3-4-2-1 under Amorim's compatriot Vitor Pereira at Wolves.

But there is also a danger in letting a coach dictate transfer policy and dispense with the club's most talented players, because what if it doesn't work out? In the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era, United coaches have a lifespan of little more than two years. No manager has completed three full seasons. United handed too much power in the transfer market to Erik ten Hag and look set to do the same with Amorim, especially after sacking Dan Ashworth as sporting director last year.

Amorim, however, is an outlier due to his formation. He is already under-pressure after presiding over the majority of this disastrous campaign and if United do not get off to a strong start next season then they will be on the lookout for another new manager. Yet most of the top coaches in world football do not play the same shape the Portuguese has wedded himself to. There is an entirely feasible situation whereby later this year, or by the summer of 2026, Amorim is no longer at Old Trafford and his successor needs new wingers. And they will be wondering how the club managed to squander the likes of Elanga, Antony, Rashford and Garnacho.

A parting of the ways might make sense for both Amorim and Garnacho after the latter was overlooked for the biggest game of the season. It will be hard for fans to take, though. They have been chanting 'Viva Garnacho' since the flamboyant winger first broke into the team and scored his first goal against Real Sociedad thanks to a pass from Ronaldo, who that particular chant used to be dedicated to.

"I have to say, on the occasions that I take my seat in the Stretford End and the fans are singing his song it can be quite overwhelming," Cox said last year. "The fans have got a connection there with a player. There is just something about the fact that he’s a wide player at Manchester United that makes it that little bit more special."

Garnacho is unlikely to come close to reaching Ronaldo's iconic status, but he has always had the potential to become a world star. Seeing him potentially go on to truly achieve that potential elsewhere will be a gut-wrenching experience for United supporters, and it feels like the club are taking a huge gamble by opting to bet on a largely unproven manager rather than a player who from day one has felt like one of their own.