Alejandro Garnacho warned Chelsea spell could become 'very ugly' as club legend tells ex-Man Utd winger to 'do your job'

Garnacho’s arrival at Chelsea in August 2025 was born out of growing frustration at United, where he had fallen out of favour under Ruben Amorim. The £40 million deal was seen as a major coup for the Blues, but the 21-year-old has struggled to replicate the explosive form that made him a fan favourite at Old Trafford. Since making the move to London, Garnacho has made 27 appearances across all competitions, being named in the starting line-up on 17 occasions as he battles for consistency.

While he has shown occasional flashes of his undoubted potential, a return of six goals overall - with just one coming in the Premier League - has left many questioning his impact. His most significant contribution came in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final against Arsenal, where he netted a brace to keep Chelsea’s hopes alive before they went down 3-2 (losing 4-2 on aggregate), but those moments have been few and far between. 

The mounting pressure on Garnacho was evident during Chelsea's recent 3-2 victory over West Ham, where the winger was substituted at half-time following a subdued performance. Garnacho's display sparked heavy criticism from ex-United star Gary Neville and Nevin, speaking to NewBettingSites.uk, expressed his sadness at seeing the youngster’s confidence dip so dramatically. He drew a worrying comparison to the struggles faced by Raheem Sterling during his final months at the club and suggested fans would rather the club kept Madueke instead of allowing him to leave for Arsenal.

"I was at the West Ham game and only about the 252nd person came up to me and said the same phrase... 'Why are you getting rid of Noni Madueke and bringing in Alejandro Garnacho?'" Nevin revealed. "I felt sorry for Garnacho. They had to take him off. It was actually a wee bit sad. The last time that happened at Stamford Bridge it was Raheem Sterling. I’m talking seriously now, as a footballer when that can happen, if it takes a turn and the confidence goes completely, it can become very ugly.

"Garnacho needs to be very carefully managed but remember he scored two goals against Arsenal a couple of weeks ago. There have been moments where it’s been great but he’s not won those Chelsea fans over yet."

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Despite his sympathy, Nevin was firm in his belief that Garnacho must shoulder the responsibility that comes with being a high-earning first-team player. He insisted that the only way to silence the doubters is through hard work and performance, rather than complaining about a lack of respect or the hostility of the crowd.

"You’re a footballer. A first team footballer. You have to front everything. You need to take it," Nevin asserted. "If it’s not going well for you, you can moan and say I’m getting the respect and all that sort of stuff but you’ve got to shut up and take it sadly. You’re getting paid a lot of money. Do your job. If you do it well, you’ll be loved more than anyone else. If you don’t, and if you’re not seen to be putting in the effort and doing it the right way, you’ll get more abuse than anyone else."

The debate surrounding Garnacho’s treatment often touches on the mental toll of playing under such intense scrutiny, but Nevin argues that this pressure is an inherent part of the professional contract. While acknowledging that the modern world has a better understanding of mental wellbeing, he maintained that players must accept the boos and criticism as "part of the gig".

"In the modern world people do worry about and understand your mental wellbeing but most players know it’s part of it. It’s in the job description. It’s part of the gig," Nevin concluded. For Garnacho, the challenge now is to rediscover the "great moments" Nevin alluded to, such as his double against Arsenal, and prove that he has the mental fortitude to succeed in the blue of Chelsea.