Garnacho's clear message to Man Utd over 'Chelsea or Napoli' transfer

Alejandro Garnacho is preparing to leave Manchester United before the January transfer deadline, with Chelsea and Napoli keen on securing his signature.

However, on Thursday night, the 20-year-old winger delivered a performance that highlighted exactly why Ruben Amorim would be making a mistake by allowing his departure so late in the window.

Napoli have identified Garnacho as a replacement for Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who joined Paris Saint-Germain for £59 million earlier this month.

However, The Independent reports that the Serie A club has yet to meet United’s £70 million asking price, leaving Chelsea on standby.

The Blues have not yet submitted an official bid, but one is expected before Monday’s 11 pm deadline.

Losing Garnacho would be a bitter blow for United fans, especially given his status as one of the club’s most exciting academy graduates, with 23 goals and 15 assists in 121 appearances.

A late switch to Chelsea would be particularly painful, as United would struggle to find a replacement in Amorim’s already limited attacking setup.

United’s 2-0 victory over FCSB in the Europa League further strengthened the case for keeping Garnacho.

The winger started on the bench due to illness but was introduced at halftime, alongside Amad, immediately changing the game.

His impact was undeniable: assisted Kobbie Mainoo’s goal to seal the win, completed the most dribbles (5) in just 45 minutes, drew the most fouls (4), hit the post, and created two chances and won eight of his 12 ground duels.

His direct attacking play injected life into United, proving he can be a difference-maker under Amorim.

One of the main arguments for selling Garnacho is that he does not naturally fit into Amorim’s 3-4-3 system, as he prefers a wider role.

However, Amorim has insisted that Garnacho is showing progress in adapting to the inside forward role and is happy with his development.

While the head coach remains tight-lipped on the winger’s long-term future, he has made it clear he values Garnacho and wants to keep him.

With the transfer window closing soon, Chelsea must act quickly if they want to test United’s stance.

However, if Garnacho continues on his current trajectory, the opportunity to sign him could be gone for good.