A deal has been struck to take former Manchester United star Alejandro Garnacho from Chelsea to Aston Villa, according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.
The Red Devils are due a percentage of the transfer fee, but will have to wait as the agreement made between Chelsea and the Midlands club is for a loan with conditional compulsory purchase.
Romano has not revealed what those conditions are as yet, but they are likely to include a certain number of appearances in the coming season. The redemption amount is also as yet undisclosed.
Going backwards
Garnacho joined United’s academy from Atletico Madrid in 2020 at just 16 years of age and soon became one of the brightest talents at Carrington.
He broke into the first team just two years later and appeared to be blossoming into a world-class player.
However, his progress started to falter under Erik ten Hag‘s tutelage and the pair came to blows when the Dutchman left him out of the starting line-up for the 2024 FA Cup final.
The Argentinian saw Ten Hag get his marching orders from the club the following season, but he did not fare much better under the incoming Ruben Amorim. The pair came to blows and Garnacho was sold to Chelsea in the summer of 2025.
What many thought would be a reboot for the now 22-year-old turned into a damp squib. Garnacho only started 14 Premier League games for the Blues and failed to live up to his £40 million transfer fee.
New manager Xabi Alonso decided there was no place for the Madrid-born player and Chelsea put him up for sale.
Three of a kind
Garnacho will not be the first renegade United winger to end up on loan at Villa Park.
Having also fallen out with Amorim, Marcus Rashford also spent six months at the midlands outfit in 2024/25 as did Jadon Sancho, another underperforming maverick, in 2025/26.
🚨🟣🔵 EXCLUSIVE: Aston Villa agree deal to sign Alejandro Garnacho from Chelsea, here we go!
Club to club agreement done on loan with buy clause to become mandatory under certain conditions.
Unai Emery wanted Garnacho. Medical also booked. pic.twitter.com/qvBmt3z5TB
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 22, 2026
Featured image Alex Broadway via Getty Images
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