Alejandro Garnacho came to London in expectation and curiosity about him. Freshly signed with Chelsea, the 21-year-old Argentine striker left Manchester United, where he rose through the academy and played three entire seasons at first-team level, and also created a bombshell: that he has always been a Blues fan. His comments, spoken at his presentation, did not long make the headlines.
"I am a Chelsea boy. I used to watch the Premier League when I was younger because I enjoyed how Hazard played, and that's when my love for Chelsea started. He was a hero, especially since we play in the same position," he clarified.
The announcement fell like a bomb on some of the United faithful, who had seen him grow from the academy ranks. Chelsea fans, on the other hand, took the announcement as fuel to welcome their new signing, albeit with the usual hope that this enthusiasm will be put to test on the field.
The blue investment followed
Chelsea made Manchester United a bid of €46 million to sign Garnacho. The seven-year deal makes the Argentine Chelsea's ninth signing during this summer transfer window. He will be sporting the number 49 jersey, the same number he played with at United.
For one his age, Garnacho's stats are remarkable. For United's senior team, he played in 144 matches, netted 26 goals, assisted 20 times, and collected two awards: the Carabao Cup for the 2022/23 season and the FA Cup in 2023/24.
Born in Madrid, Garnacho also spent three seasons in the youth system of Atlético de Madrid. In 2020/21, he transferred to United's U-18s, after which he played for the U-19s, U-21s and U-23s, before being promoted to the first team.
The test in London
In his speech, Garnacho spoke about his encouragement and belief to embark on this new path. "I have a winning attitude, enthusiasm and personality. It is a natural link at Chelsea, a team like that who have recently lifted the Club World Cup. Chelsea are at the moment. The sensation of playing for this club is amazing. It is a significant step in my career," he said.
The address is consistent with what is normally pronounced at grand unveilings, but there is a twist. The Argentine confirmed he has always felt connected to Chelsea, even though he had established his career in a grand rival. That introduces an intriguing situation, one which might endear him to the fans or add further pressure for immediate results.