Latest developments
- Atletico Madrid are looking into resigning Alejandro Garnacho.
- The winger was left out of Manchester United's squad at the weekend.
- United signed the Argentinian from Atletico in 2020.
Whisper+ analysis
Authenticity (2/5): Sun making basic connections
Alejandro Garnacho is being linked with a move away from Old Trafford after Ruben Amorim omitted him from his Man Utd squad for the derby with City last weekend.
Atletico Madrid, whose academy he played for before moving to England, are interested in reuniting according to The Sun newspaper, who have not provided any source material and seem to be speculating given the links between Garnacho and Atletico.
Value (4/5): Has been contributing to struggling side
The news comes just hours after Garnacho was announced as the 2024 Puskas Award winner for his bicycle kick against Everton. That hasn't done anything to raise his market value of £41.3 million.
Under contract until 2028, that seems a reasonable price for a player who has 12 goal involvements in a struggling team this season, even if his attitude on the training ground has not impressed Amorim.
Suitability (4/5): Knows the club
Born in Madrid but going on to represent Argentina, Garnacho spent five years being schooled in the Atletico way in their academy.
Diego Simeone has used a 4-4-2 system this season, in which Garnacho could operate wide on the left.
Upgrade? (3.5/5): Putting up better numbers
Samuel Lino and Rodrigo Riquelme have been the main operators on the left side for the Mattress Makers this season. Yet, despite Atletico's lofty position in the table, Garnacho has a better return for goals and assists than the pair combined.
Logic (2.5/5): Not a Rashford situation yet
While Garnacho's name has cropped up in discussions about which players could be sold by the United board and being dropped is far from ideal, he hasn't been shown the door, like Marcus Rashford.
If he is given another chance, then it might not be time for a homecoming and, instead, he can fight to make the left side his own at Old Trafford.
Whisper+ verdict: 16/25
There does not seem to be much meat in this transfer story for now, and Garnacho's situation doesn't seem to be as untenable as Rashford's, but potential returns to former clubs can rarely be completely dismissed.
