Alejandro Garnacho is facing an unexpectedly tough start to his loan spell at Aston Villa. The 22-year-old Argentine has played just 31 minutes for the Birmingham club, raising questions about the future of his move from Chelsea.
As part of the deal, Villa could be obliged to pay around £43 million for Garnacho next summer if certain conditions are met. However, his current playing role puts the likelihood of such a scenario in doubt.
Why Garnacho is out of favour with Emery
Following Villa's 3-1 win against Coventry in the League Cup on September 16, many expected to see Garnacho in the squad.
However, the Argentine remained on the sidelines.
Just three days later, he was again benched during the clash with Tottenham. Furthermore, according to the Daily Mail, Garnacho might not have even made the squad had Brazilian winger Alisson been available.
For a player with nearly 200 senior appearances and eight caps for Argentina, this situation is a significant warning sign.
Emery demands maximum discipline
Villa's head coach, Unai Emery, traditionally places great emphasis on his players' off-the-ball behaviour, tactical adherence, and training efforts.
According to the Daily Mail, Emery has already reprimanded Garnacho for taking too long to prepare for his time on the pitch.
The coach himself acknowledged after Garnacho's early matches that he could have performed better.
Emery provided Garnacho with a straightforward recipe for change:
“Keep working. Work, work, train, work.”
Emery expects complete concentration from players during individual and team breakdowns. In his system, it’s not enough to play well with the ball – players must meet the demands when possession is lost.
Why Villa chose Garnacho
There’s no doubt about the Argentine’s talent. Between 2023 and 2025 with Manchester United, he scored 21 goals and provided 17 assists.
Emery has been keen to add a sharper and more direct wide player capable of making a difference in one-on-one situations.
However, questions arise about how keen Emery was on Garnacho’s transfer in the first place.
This summer, Villa completed several deals with Chelsea simultaneously: Garnacho went to Birmingham while Morgan Rogers and Emiliano Martinez moved the other way. Additionally, Nicolas Jackson joined Villa, and set-piece coach Austin McPhee also changed clubs.
These circumstances raise doubts about whether Garnacho’s arrival aligned with Emery’s personal transfer priorities.
Lessons from Elliott lead to caution for Villa
Many are already drawing parallels with last year’s loan of Harvey Elliott.
The Englishman arrived from Liverpool on similar terms – with a potential obligation to buy. However, Emery ultimately chose not to sign him permanently.
Elliott featured just nine times for Villa throughout the season before returning to Liverpool.
Now Garnacho finds himself in a similar position: a large potential buyout figure exists in the contract, but the player is hardly getting any game time.
Garnacho still has time to turn things around
That said, this story is far from over.
During the international break, Aston Villa will play two friendly matches, including one against Sevilla on October 2. For Garnacho, this represents an opportunity to gain playing time and show Emery that he can meet the demands placed upon him.
An additional factor to consider is the facial injury he sustained during a pre-season match against BG Pathum United, which hindered his preparation and ruled him out of the UEFA Super Cup tie against PSG.
Nevertheless, the Daily Mail reports that Garnacho netted the only goal in a closed-door friendly against Southampton.
What's next?
Garnacho must now convince Emery not just with his play on the ball, but also with his discipline, understanding of tactical requirements, and work off the ball.
The Daily Mail also mentions that La Liga clubs are already monitoring the situation in case the loan is terminated early in January.
