‘My Job’—Rosenior Raises Eyebrows With Stance on Garnacho’s Chelsea Future
Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior did not flatly reject reports tipping Alejandro Garnacho to be sold in the summer, instead insisting that it’s his “job” to get the mercurial winger performing at a superior level.
It has not been a happy debut season at Stamford Bridge for Garnacho. The winger sunk to a new low in Saturday’s clash with his former club, Manchester United. Garnacho had not been selected for the starting XI—a frequent occurrence this term—and struggled to offer any sustained impact upon his first-half introduction for the injured Estêvão.
The fleet-footed forward spent most of his 74 minutes on the pitch switching flanks with Pedro Neto in the vain hope of coming up against a United fullback who would not swiftly shut him down. His attempts proved fruitless.
That outing was indicative of a thoroughly underwhelming campaign for the 21-year-old. Garnacho boasts more Premier League bookings (two) than goals (one) this season while reports of his “attitude” off the pitch have been far from glowing.
In the aftermath of Saturday’s defeat, talkSPORT went so far as to claim that Chelsea are willing to sell Garnacho less than a year after spending in the region of $54 million (£40 million) to extricate him from Old Trafford.
When confronted with this claim, Rosenior questioned its provenance. “I’d like to know the source of the report. These reports can come from anywhere,” the Chelsea boss mused. However, he opted not to bluntly rebuff the spurious whispers—which had been his stance when questioned about a potential exit for Cole Palmer.
“Garna is 21 years old,” Rosenior continued. “Garna is someone who has special qualities when he is in a good place and he’s in good form. And my job is to help him reach those levels.”
Based upon the scathing character review delivered by Garnacho’s former Manchester United academy manager, club legend Nicky Butt, Rosenior’s job is not made easy by the character he’s working with.
‘A Disgrace’—Garnacho Savaged by Man Utd Legend
Alejandro Garnacho left Man Utd in the summer. / IMAGO/News Images
Butt labeled Garnacho’s attitude during his time at Manchester United “a disgrace,” insisting that the young forward was promoted to “superstar status way too quick,” both on merit and in terms of his mental fortitude.
“He signed at 16,” Butt recalled on his podcast with Paul Scholes, The Good, The Bad & The Football. “Garnacho was always a bit stand-off-ish, he had a high opinion of himself.
“I thought he had an edge about him. And when he got into the first team—I will just say what I think because I was there—he got above his station way too quick. He got superstar status way too quick.”
Garnacho made his Premier League debut as a 17-year-old—incidentally against Chelsea—at the end of the disastrous 2021–22 campaign before enjoying a breakout year under Erik ten Hag. The teenager nabbed a stoppage-time winner against Fulham during a campaign which brought five goals and as many assists despite only making 11 starts.
Garnacho’s Premier League Record
| Statistic | Man Utd | Chelsea |
|---|---|---|
| Appearances | 93 | 22 |
| Goals | 16 | 1 |
| Assists | 8 | 4 |
| Minutes per Goal | 334 | 1,221 |
The Madrid-born Argentina international soon carved out a spot for himself on one of United’s wings, hitting double digits for goals across 50 appearances during the 2023–24 campaign. As Butt pinpointed, Garnacho’s status exploded after he scored a stunning overhead kick against Everton in November 2023.
“Someone in that club or team at the time should have been swatting him down,” Butt argued, “and they might have been, and he ignored them. But the best thing Man Utd did was sell him because, forget his ability, and I don’t think he is that great anyway, but I thought his attitude was a disgrace when he was at Man Utd.
“More importantly when he left, and if you completely disrespect your teammates and the football club when you leave, then that’s it.”
Garnacho infamously voiced his displeasure at being left on the bench for so much of the 2025 Europa League final, prompting then-manager Ruben Amorim to reportedly tell the forward in front of all his teammates that he should find a new club.
That search took him to Chelsea but he could soon be on the market once again.
