Alejandro Garnacho left Manchester United last weekend to join Chelsea in a £40m transfer deal after his relationship with the club became strained
Alejandro Garnacho pictured after completing his transfer from Manchester United to Chelsea(Image: Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)
Alejandro Garnacho has given a subtle nod to Manchester United after his new shirt number for Chelsea was revealed on Wednesday evening.
Garnacho’s time at United came to an end at the weekend when he completed a £40m move to Stamford Bridge. The Argentine was bought for a nominal fee from Atletico Madrid in 2020 and joined the academy structure at Carrington.
Within two years he had made a name for himself and was drafted into the first-team, playing alongside one of his childhood idols Cristiano Ronaldo. However, after Erik ten Hag was sacked in October 2024, his time at United hurdled towards an end.
In Ruben Amorim’s new system, Garnacho failed to adapt and this led to him becoming a substitute. He was dropped for the Manchester derby in December alongside Marcus Rashford.
After that he was ordered to buy a meal for all his teammates after storming off the field following his substitution. However, Amorim cut ties with the winger at the end of the season when he posted a petulant image of himself celebrating in the FA Cup final against Manchester City when he was dropped for the Europa League finale in Bilbao.
He would then bemoan his lack of playing time in the final during a post-match interview. The opinion of United fans towards Garnacho soured further when, in June, he posted a picture of himself on holiday in Rashford’s shirt from his stint at Aston Villa.
When he returned from his holiday, Garnacho joined the so-called ‘bomb squad’ requesting his exit from Old Trafford which was granted at the very end of the window. Despite how his time at the club ended, the 21-year-old posted an emotional goodbye to the United fans on social media.
As his new chapter begins in the capital, he has given a nod back to United by choosing the No.49 as his new shirt number. This number belonged to Garnacho before he was given the No.17 upgrade.
Alejandro Garnacho is embraced by Marcus Rashford as he wears the No.49 shirt for Manchester United
At the time, it was seen as a slight against Garnacho that he was not given the No.7 shirt. Instead, that accolade was handed to new arrival Mason Mount.
Garnacho may make a near instant return to Old Trafford after the international break when the Reds host the Blues on Saturday, September 20.
Here at The Manchester Evening News, we are dedicated to bringing you the best Manchester United coverage and analysis.
Make sure you don’t miss out on the latest United news by joining our free WhatsApp group. You can get all the breaking news and best analysis sent straight to your phone by clicking here to subscribe.
You can also subscribe to our free newsletter service. Click here to be sent all the day’s biggest stories.
And, finally, if you would rather listen to our expert analysis then make sure to check out our Manchester is Red podcast, featuring The Samuel Luckhurst Show and The Midweek Debate. Our shows are available on all podcast platforms, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and you can also watch along on YouTube.