Inside Garnacho’s incredible Man Utd rise, from Covid video call transfer to inspiring next generation
NICK COX got the news while he was overseeing under-12s training at Carrington.
The smile on his face will have told you all you need to know about the pride he has about Alejandro Garnacho.
Manchester United’s Head of Academy had learned that he had bagged a brace of goals in a 3-0 win over West Ham.
All that time, all that work in finding and nurturing this teenage talent was paying off again.
All around Old Trafford fans were singing ‘Viva Garnacho’ having adapted the original song sung for Cristiano Ronaldo.
Cox said: “I have to say, on the occasions that I take my seat in The Stretford End and the fans are singing his song it can be quite overwhelming.
“The fans have got a connection there with a player.
“There is just something about the fact that he’s a wide player at Manchester United that makes it that little bit more special.”
It was back in the tricky days of Covid that United went scouring Europe to find a 16-year-old wide player who could become a hero at United.
Cox said: “Our recruitment team profiled all the wide players of that age across Europe, comparing the talents and trying to identify which talent would be the one who would be the best fit for us as a football club.
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“Alejandro would have been at the top of that list.
“Gerardo Guzman our academy scout in Spain, put Alejandro forward as the best talent available in Spain.”
Having started at Getafe, Garnacho was now at Atletico Madrid so it was always going to be a tough sell to get him out of that club and convince him to come to United.
Particularly when because of Covid restrictions they could not do the usual hard sell to the player and his family by bringing him over to Manchester.
“I had to do that from my spare bedroom via video call, using a translator,” said Cox.
“My boys at the time would have been 14 and 10 and I remember vividly that they were arguing with each other while I was trying to sign Alejandro.
“I still tell my boys now, had that argument rumbled on much longer then we probably wouldn’t have Alejandro Garnacho at Manchester United!”
Not surprisingly his early development at the club was slow with Covid hampering training and his English lessons.
It was the victorious FA Youth Cup run of 2021-22 that really brought him to the fore as Old Trafford was used to showcase the next generation.
Cox said: “He really got a taste for the arena of Old Trafford. He would rise to the occasion.
“The bigger the game, the better his performance would be.”
The road to the first team has not been without it’s bumps.
When new manager Erik ten Hag chose to take him on his first pre-season with the first team to Bangkok and Australia the player very nearly blew it.
He was left out of all four games after twice turning up late for team meetings.
There would also be question marks over his workrate when it came to his defensive responsibilities.
More recently he was not afraid to put his international captain Lionel Messi’s nose out of joining by claiming Cristiano Ronaldo was the real ‘GOAT’.
Messi unfollowed him on social media.
Club captain Bruno Fernandes has taken Garnacho under his wing to make sure the player kept his focus as he got his first team chances last season.
With a goal against Real Sociedad he became United’s youngest non-English scorer in Europe at 18 years and 125 days beating George Best.
Fernandes said at the time: “’He knows we expect a lot from him. He wasn’t at his best at the beginning of the season. On the tour he didn’t have the best attitude that he should have, but now he’s training better and getting his chances. He’s deserving of his chances.’
While those chances last season came in fits and starts, mostly as an impact sub the 19-year-old is now a fully established first-team player.
A player who scored one of the greatest goals in the club’s history at Goodison Park this season with that stunning overhead kick.
Cox said: “For our really young players, to see a young boy score a goal like the one he did at Everton, that can only be an inspiration for them.
“There were bicycle kicks in our indoor area left, right and centre the following week.”
There is no doubt the Argentine international is a real entertainer that has got the United fan base buzzing.
A player who Cox says has “that desire to be a little bit of a showman.
“A desire to try and do things that are a little bit unorthodox and try to entertain.”
With Garnacho still just 19 years old United fans will be dreaming of many more years of it to come as well.
Garnacho's career stats
Alejandro Garnacho has already achieved a fair bit in his career.
Club matches – 67
Goals scored – 12
Assists – 7
Matches won – 38
Matches drawn – 8
Matches lost – 21
International caps – 3
Team honours – EFL Cup 2022/23
Individual honours – Maurice Revello Tournament Best XI 2022, Maurice Revello Tournament Revelation Player 2022, Maurice Revello Tournament Revelation Player Goal of the Tournament, Premier League Goal of the Month: November 2023, Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year 2021/22.
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