Alejandro Garnacho, now with Chelsea, has opened up about the emotional toll of his exit from Manchester United, a club he cherished despite the controversies leading up to his departure. The Argentine winger, who transferred for a substantial £40 million fee, found himself in a tense situation with then-manager Ruben Amorim at Old Trafford.

The friction between Garnacho and Amorim surfaced when Garnacho publicly expressed his discontent over being used as a late substitute in United’s disappointing Europa League final against Tottenham in May. This frustration was further magnified by his brother, Roberto, who criticized Amorim’s decisions on social media, accusing him of undermining Garnacho.

Adding fuel to the fire, Garnacho shared a photo of himself donning an Aston Villa jersey with Marcus Rashford’s name—his former Manchester United teammate who also faced difficulties under Amorim’s leadership. Such actions did not sit well with Manchester United supporters, sparking a significant backlash.

In a recent conversation with Premier League Productions, Garnacho reflected on his departure. Despite the tumultuous end to his time at United, he holds no grudges. “Maybe I do regret how it all unfolded,” he admitted. “I loved that club. They believed in me from the beginning, bringing me over from Spain and giving me a chance in their academy. It was four or five years filled with incredible support—from the fans, the stadium, everyone.”

Garnacho’s reflections highlight a complex relationship with Manchester United, underscoring a deep appreciation for a club that played a significant role in his development, even as he looks forward to new beginnings.

Alejandro Garnacho has opened up on how he was ‘hurt’ by his Manchester United departure

The forward left in the summer on the back of a string of clashes, including with former manager Ruben Amorim (right)

When asked by Premier League Productions if he regretted how the move panned out, he said: ‘Maybe yes, because I loved that club. They gave me the confidence from the start, from Spain, to bring me to the academy, then they bring me to the first team, so it was like four or five years, and amazing love from everyone, from the fans, the stadium, everything was really good.

‘It’s just sometimes you have to change for the good of your life or the next steps. I only have good memories of Man United.’

After a rocky start to life under Amorim, the Portuguese had praised Garnacho’s work to earn a spot back in his team, despite there being no natural fit in his back-three system.

The natural winger slotted into a No10 role, but things went south again and he fell down the pecking order again.

That, he has said, was a key reason as to why he left – admitting that he made some questionable moves when he was out the team.

‘I remember in the last six months I was just not playing like before at Manchester United,’ he said. ‘I started to be on the bench, it’s not a bad thing, I was only 20 years old, but in my mind it was like I had to play every game.

‘In my mind, maybe it is also on me, I started to do some bad things. But yes, it was just this moment in life and sometimes you have to make decisions and I am really proud to be here and still in the Premier League at a club like this.

‘Everyone knows the team we have and the things we can do. Sometimes, we have better moments or worse moments, I am proud to be here but with United, I have nothing wrong to say about the club, no one in the club or the team-mates. It’s just a moment in life that changes and life continues. I have no regrets.’

Garnacho also received criticism for wearing an Aston Villa shirt with Marcus Rashford’s name and number on

He joined Chelsea for £40million in the summer but has had a slow start to life with the Blues

This season, Garnacho has played 37 games in all competitions, netting eight goals. Nine of those games came in the Champions League. 

He has found it hard going so far, starting 20 games, but Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior had some kind words for his man back in March.

‘Garna is a top player,’ he said. ‘I’ve changed a little bit tactically since I’ve come in; I’ve wanted to dominate midfield areas. That has meant at times I’ve only played with one winger, but Garna is an outstanding player.

‘What I’ve really liked in this period is his reaction to not starting. He’s been training very well and showed real positivity when he came on against Arsenal. He was also magnificent against Hull in the FA Cup and had a huge impact in the game against Arsenal when he scored two goals.

‘We have got to take into account that Garna is 21 – he’s got huge ability and huge potential.

‘For any young player, the biggest thing to be challenged is your consistency level, but he’s showing really good signs, not just in training but in meetings, that he’s on a really good track. He’s definitely going to get his opportunities to play with the schedule we’ve got coming up.’