Chelsea strike Alejandro Garnacho transfer agreement after Man Utd talks

Alejandro Garnacho is among the Manchester United players expected to leave before the transfer window shuts and potential suitors Chelsea appear to have made a breakthrough

Chelsea have moved one step closer to landing Alejandro Garnacho. The Blues are understood to have agreed terms with the Manchester United winger, though they have yet to find common ground with United on a transfer fee.

Garnacho is out of favour at Old Trafford, with Ruben Amorim adding Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo to his attacking options after falling out with his No.17. The Argentine was left at home while the Red Devils went to the United States for pre-season, with the expectation being that he will leave before deadline day.

Garnacho is desperate to move to Stamford Bridge, having made Chelsea his first choice this summer and the 21-year-old has agreed personal terms. However, it will of course count for nothing without an agreement on the fee.

United’s asking price of £50m appears to be too steep for the Blues at the time of writing. There had been suggestions the Red Devils might pursue a part-exchange deal involving Garnacho and Nicolas Jackson, but their move for Benjamin Sesko appears to have put an end to those conversations.

The asking price is lower than in January, when Chelsea and Napoli were both keen on Garnacho. Since then, though, the winger’s stock has fallen as it has become clear Amorim doesn’t see him as a regular starter.

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“I think with Garnacho, you can understand and you can see that he’s talented, he’s a really talented boy,” Amorim said earlier in the summer. “But sometimes things don’t work out and you cannot explain specifically what it is.

“But I have the feeling – and I think it’s clear – that Garnacho wants a different thing with a different leadership and I can understand that. So I don’t think it’s a problem. Sometimes you adapt to one guy and you have the connection. Other times you want a new challenge.”

United have already offloaded one other member of their so-called ‘bomb squad’, with Marcus Rashford joining Barcelona on a season-long loan. The England international could move to Camp Nou permanently if he impresses during the campaign, with Barca holding an option.

The club still hope to offload Antony, Jadon Sancho and Tyrell Malacia after the trio ended last season out on loan. Real Betis remain keen on keeping Antony in Seville after he impressed there last term, while Sancho has attracted interest from Serie A despite Chelsea opting against a permanent swoop following a year on loan at Stamford Bridge.

United will play their final pre-season friendly at home to Fiorentina on Saturday before beginning their Premier League campaign against Arsenal. Chelsea won’t have Garnacho in time for their friendlies against Bayer Leverkusen and AC Milan this weekend, but he could arrive in time for their league opener against Crystal Palace.

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