Although Alejandro Garnacho’s stint at Manchester United was characterized by contradictions, one constant was his unique bond with club captain Bruno Fernandez, who acted as a coach for young players. From scoring an award-winning goal, he was forced to lift the FA Cup with Carabao to being banished from the first team under United boss Ruven Amorim, Garnacho went through extreme highs and lows for the Red Devils. After signing from Atletico Madrid in October 2020 for just £420,000, United sold the 21-year-old to Chelsea this summer for £40 million.
The Argentinians had a turbulent final months at Old Trafford due to a series of behavioral issues. The breakdown of player-club relationships reached its climax after publicly criticising Amorim’s decision to bench him for the final Europa League defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in May. Despite United’s manager Eric Ten Hag and later struggling under Amorim, Garnacho’s relationship with Fernandez was extremely important. The pair spent three seasons together, and Fernandez was often seen by the fiery youth as a kind of football father figure.
Fernandez is hoping for “a lot”
In November 2023, Garnacho netted the epic opener during United’s 3-0 victory at Everton, then offered a breathtaking overhead kick that won the FIFA Puscus Award.
After the game, Fernandez became cautious about not overly praiseing the youngsters, but rather focused on ensuring that after the most important moments in the United jersey, Argentina remains grounded.
“He’s not a great player yet, but he has a great future,” Fernandez said of Sky Sports’ Garnacho. “We expect a lot from him. He knows that. He knows I’m always behind him, but obviously it was an amazing goal.”
Selective hearing of Garnacho
Following the assist of 18-year-old Fernandez against the wolf in May 2023, the United skipper confirmed that he was trying to help develop his teammates, but proved that the tendency for young people to pay attention to advice when it suits him is a problem.
“What I have to say to Garnacho, I say to him at the training ground, whenever we are eating, on the training ground, anywhere. If he wants to hear, he will hear,” Fernandez said.
“If not, he wouldn’t, but I’ll try to help. I think he had an interview where I was talking about me trying to help him. That’s what I’m trying to do.”
Bad attitude claim
Garnacho appeared in all four United preseason matches in Thailand and Australia in the summer of 2022, and was disciplined by a former boss 10 hug for arriving late in team sessions multiple times.
Following Ghanacho’s goal in Europa League fixtures in November 2022, Fernandez acknowledged that the approach of his young colleagues was hampering his progress at the beginning of the season.
“At the beginning of the season, he wasn’t at his best,” he said.
Garnacho’s farewell post
Garnacho may have set out for Stamford Bridge amid some controversy, but after leaving Old Trafford, he assured him on social media that he had acknowledged his former skipper.
In a message that made clear how important Fernandez’s mentorship was to him, the current Chelsea winger said, “Thank you for everything you did for me, I love you (kiss emoji)”, along with photos from the dramatic 3-3 draw with Galata Sale in November 2023.
Garnacho is scheduled to make his Chelsea debut with Brentford on Saturday night at the G-Tech Community Stadium. Meanwhile, Fernandez is confident that he continued to lead Amorim’s efforts to revive his struggling unified side, and did everything he could to nurture Garnacho’s talent, even if his call for professionalism had not had a desired impact.
