The fact Alejandro Garnacho has been informed he can depart Manchester United underscores my ongoing stance that he exemplifies a young player who has received excessive attention too early in his career.

He has encountered too much admiration, financial reward, and respect, both within the football club and from the public. This situates players like him in a mindset that is damaging to their personal and professional development.

This issue is intensified by the fact that he is at Manchester United, where a player’s profile becomes significantly larger and more prominent before they have even consistently played for the club compared to any other team in the nation.

Marcus Rashford, has one season of scoring 30 goals and what does the club do? Give him over £300,000 a week. Look at how that has worked out.

I accept it’s never been more difficult as a young player not to have your head turned by the money on offer today. The clubs, fearing they will risk losing a potential talent, are told by agents ‘if you don’t pay the money, then another club will’.

Accountants run the show. They’re influencing the calls. Saying this will be his market value in five years’ time. There has never been more money on offer to these young men. But with that money comes unsavoury types and poor judgment from those close to them.

What qualifies Garnacho’s brother to criticise Ruben Amorim’s selections? Is Rashford’s entourage the right group for him?

Money doesn’t give you greater empathy for another human being or make you more intelligent. They need people of greater worldly experience around them.

You often hear United managers talk about the culture being wrong. Who does Garnacho have to look up to in that dressing room, that is setting an example? Someone he would want to become.

They had the best example in the world and let him go: Cristiano Ronaldo. He would have been worth keeping for the example he set. Staying on after training, dedicating his lifestyle to the sport.

When you think of a sporting icon for Garnacho to follow, who better than someone who, even at 40 years of age, still strives to be the best – but United chased him out the club.

Culturally, I think Manchester as a city is different too. If players have a bad day at the office, they still like to see their superstars out in town. If I had a bad day at the office as a Liverpool player I wouldn’t be keen to go out in town. You can bet there would be someone in your face telling you straight what they thought of you if you did.

At Liverpool you were never allowed to have a big head on your shoulders. That’s why I cite Ronnie Moran as the greatest influence on my career. I was captain of Liverpool, but I felt insignificant. Statistics tell you we were pretty good, but Ronnie never let us become ‘Billy Big Heads’.

That was passed down to John Bennison in the youth setup and later Steve Heighway, who passed on what he had taken from Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley.

When I was later Liverpool manager and signed Robbie Fowler to professional forms, he made a big jump in his salary. He scored on his debut against Fulham in the league cup and got five in the return game, but he knew even at 17, he couldn’t walk down the street being a ‘big time Charlie’. The staff had made sure of that.

When he signed his deal I said to him ‘you had better put a few quid away in a pension’, he said ‘what’s that?’ and so I introduced him to George Scott, an independent financial advisor, who I’d like to think put him on the road to making good investments.

Robbie was different. Any club would think they’d won the lottery signing him. At 16, he had instincts that some seasoned 35-year-olds never had. But he knew what it meant to get that chance and he was going to take it.

Now it’s difficult because we are talking of boys his age being offered deals multiplied by 10 and more, in comparison to the one he was given. This is a golden era for a young player. The rewards have never been greater but nor have the pitfalls.

Palmer puts critics in their place 

Cole Palmer will be richer for the experience of this season. I said when he was going through a barren patch that it was only a blip.

Criticism is the price on the ticket for players in the modern game because of social media and so many media outlets. You have to take it on the chin and Palmer showed why he is an outstanding talent against Real Betis on Wednesday night.

He is fearless with great ability and how he grabbed hold of the game shows he won’t lack confidence in his career. I’m glad to see we share a birthday, so I’ll be hoping for a better card next year.

Chelsea have exceeded expectations making the Champions League and winning a trophy, even if it is the ‘Dog and Duck’ of European competition. The pressure is on for Enzo Maresca to kick on now.

Liam Delap will be a good acquisition. He has scored goals in an Ipswich Town side that has been scrapping throughout the season, and I believe he can make that jump to play at the top level with a big club, but he does have to become more clinical in his finishing.

Unlike what I have said about Alejandro Garnacho, I think he has been educated in the correct way, and having experience on loan in the Championship was a strong part of his development. He will appreciate the opportunity he has to make a name for himself.

My moment of panic at Liverpool parade 

It was very sad to witness the scenes that marred what should have been a fantastic day for Liverpool supporters on Monday.

The risks attached for hundreds of thousands of people gathering at events do not apply just to football these days. It can be concerts, parades, Christmas markets, any large gatherings. It is unfortunately, where we are as a society.

I was watching on my iPhone on Monday when a friend showed me what unfolded in Liverpool. My son was at the parade, and didn’t answer when I first tried to call.

Like any parent I had that moment of panic until he called to say he was OK but had walked past that part of town minutes earlier. All it takes is the wrong turn.

Salah sweeps the awards 

My player of the year has to be Mohamed Salah.

I think it’s hard to consider anyone else when he has won the Golden Boot, the Playmaker award for the most assists and most importantly a Premier League winner’s medal.

The hardest thing to do is score goals and for him to reach 34 in all competitions – the fifth time he has scored 30 or more since joining Liverpool – shows remarkable consistency.

At the start of the season, I said Arne Slot’s biggest job was getting him and Virgil van Dijk to sign new deals. With that done, and Liverpool adding more signings, the club’s future looks bright.