By Bilal Khan 
Aston Villa has reached an agreement with Chelsea for the transfer of Alejandro Garnacho. The deal is structured as a loan with a conditional obligation to buy. The Argentina international has undergone a medical examination and is currently in Birmingham to finalize the move.
The pursuit of the winger was reportedly led by Aston Villa manager Unai Emery, who had previously expressed interest in signing Garnacho last summer when he transferred from Manchester United to Chelsea. A four-year contract is reportedly in place.
Transfer Details and Financial Considerations
Reports on Tuesday indicated that Villa was in advanced discussions to acquire Garnacho on an initial season-long loan with the conditional obligation to buy. This transaction is separate from Chelsea’s club-record transfer of Morgan Rogers, which was confirmed earlier in the week for £117 million. The fee for Rogers exceeded Chelsea’s previous club record paid for Enzo Fernandez in 2023.
Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso permitted Garnacho to miss the start of the club’s pre-season training to facilitate a move away. Villa’s club-record signing of Switzerland international Johan Manzambi from Freiburg is seen as a direct replacement for Rogers, which shifted Villa’s focus towards recruiting a wide player. Other potential options included Paris Saint-Germain’s Ibrahim Mbaye and Crysencio Summerville from West Ham United.
Garnacho reportedly struggled to secure a regular starting position at Chelsea following his £40 million move from Old Trafford. He made starts across all competitions, with of those in the Premier League, and scored goals. The Atletico Madrid academy product was included in Argentina’s 55-player preliminary squad for the World Cup but did not make the final roster.
The financial structure of the deal, particularly the conditional loan, is significant due to UEFA’s regulations on player exchange transactions. Aston Villa is in a settlement agreement with UEFA, and a permanent signing from Chelsea within a 45-day window of the Rogers deal could reduce Villa’s profit on Rogers in UEFA’s calculations. A conditional loan allows for the permanent transfer to occur outside this 45-day period, which would benefit both clubs financially.
Chelsea is also under a UEFA settlement agreement and needs to generate substantial profits from player trading in 2026-27. UEFA’s rules state that if a condition for a permanent transfer is considered “virtually certain,” the deal must be recognized as permanent from the loan’s inception. However, if the fulfillment of the condition cannot be assessed with sufficient certainty, clubs can initially record it as a loan.
Player Performance and Future Role
During his time at Chelsea, Garnacho played 1217 Premier League minutes across 25 appearances, averaging less than 49 minutes per game. This was less than both Morgan Rogers and Emiliano Buendia, who played 1528 and 1527 minutes respectively in the same position for Villa last season. Garnacho’s five goal involvements meant he averaged one every 243 minutes, compared to Rogers’ average of one every 90 minutes and Buendia’s every 190 minutes.
If Garnacho joins Villa, it could necessitate adjustments to Unai Emery’s system. While Buendia and Rogers offered versatility across both flanks and a tendency to move centrally, Garnacho typically prefers to stay wide and hug the touchline. He has previously operated on the right-hand side, scoring a goal in the FA Cup final win for Manchester United from that flank. This preference for staying wide might require Emery to adapt his attacking strategies or Garnacho to show greater adaptability in his play.
Garnacho departed Manchester United last summer after five years at the club, where he scored 26 goals in 144 games. He reportedly fell out of favor with former head coach Ruben Amorim and described his summer exit as painful.
Chelsea is reportedly prepared to sell Garnacho this summer. Roma has also shown interest in signing Garnacho, and he has admirers in the Saudi Pro League. Garnacho has not participated in pre-season training as he seeks to resolve his club future.
The Premier League transfer window has 41 days remaining as of Tuesday.
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Source: nytimes.com
