Alejandro Garnacho's rejection! Arsenal & Tottenham among clubs put off by Man Utd winger after carrying out 'due diligence' on Chelsea target

For Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, the focus has shifted to bolstering the wings with more predictable, stable options. The Gunners have already snapped up Noni Madueke from Chelsea and remain heavily linked with Crystal Palace’s talismanic Eberechi Eze. Over in N17, Spurs boss Thomas Frank has also looked elsewhere, holding talks over a move for Manchester City’s Brazilian prospect Savinho while keeping a close eye on Eze’s situation.

According to the Manchester Evening News, even Atletico Madrid, Garnacho’s old stomping ground, weighed up the possibility of a dramatic reunion. Ultimately, Diego Simeone’s side swerved the move, choosing instead to sign Villarreal’s Alex Baena. The Spanish club decided the risk factor was simply too high, despite Garnacho’s history with their academy.

While others backed away, Chelsea are charging ahead. The Blues have emerged as clear frontrunners, with the winger’s agents, Carlos Cambeiro and Enrique de Lucas, already spotted at Stamford Bridge during January. Chelsea want a deal in the region of £30 million ($41m), but United’s valuation sits much higher at around £50m ($68m). Bayer Leverkusen tested the waters with a £30m bid in January, only to be swiftly rebuffed.

The cracks between Garnacho and United boss Ruben Amorim have been widening for months. In May, Amorim bluntly told the 22-year-old he was free to go, frustrated by Garnacho’s public doubts over his future and his complaints after being benched following the Europa League final defeat to Tottenham.

Matters weren’t helped by a stormy February incident, when Garnacho reacted to being subbed at half-time against Ipswich by marching straight down the Old Trafford tunnel. He later tried to repair the damage by paying for a team dinner, but trust between player and manager appeared irreparably damaged.

Signed from Atletico Madrid’s youth setup in 2020, Garnacho quickly became one of United’s most exciting prospects. He was instrumental in their FA Youth Cup triumph over Nottingham Forest in 2022 and famously scored against Manchester City in the 2024 FA Cup final. But the current situation suggests his United story is nearing its end. The winger won’t feature when United take on Arsenal this weekend, as he is part of the infamous bomb squad.