Alejandro Garnacho is going to be a superstar. Last night’s FA Youth Cup final was pure evidence of that. Now is the time for the young Argentine to make the jump to senior football; possibly for good.
The young attacker’s rise to fame has been a rapid one. Alejandro Garnacho has risen from a relative unknown to a budding star within a matter of a few months. Thankfully, he’s at the best place to remain grounded.
Manchester United Football Club have been through this process before on countless occasions. The Red Devils have utilised their academy to the fullest, with Garnacho set to be the latest exponent.
His two goals in the FA Youth Cup final last night guided United to their record-breaking eleventh title in the history of the competition. Not once did the stage look too big for Garnacho. In fact, you could tell he just relished playing with all eyes on him. He’s very similar to Cristiano Ronaldo in that regard.
The effort never wavered. In fact, the first team could use someone with energy and abundance to go along with sheer talent. It’s probably why Ralf Rangnick has given Garnacho the opportunity to regularly train with the senior squad.
Our latest Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year follows in the footsteps of Marcus Rashford, Anthony Elanga and many others. No doubt he’s chomping at the bit to make that next step.
After a substitute appearance for the first team not too long ago, Garnacho’s stock is continuing to rise. We’ve not seen the Argentine make his full debut as of yet – perhaps the risk of injury ahead of the FA Youth Cup final was the reasoning behind that.
Now though, United’s final game of the 2021/22 campaign feels like the perfect moment to hand the 17-year-old his first senior start.
This is a man who plays with maturity beyond his years. Garnacho already acts like a seasoned pro who knows exactly what he’s doing. On top of that, he’s already learning from two of the best in the business; Ronaldo at club level and Lionel Messi with the Argentina national side. Just think about that for a second. Garnacho has already been called up to one of the best international teams in the world.
We’ve often seen the last game used to blood in young players before. James Wilson emerged against Hull City a few years ago, while Mason Greenwood was given the chance to make his first start against Cardiff City just a couple of years ago. On both occasions, those lads set the example on the pitch and looked right at home playing alongside seasoned pros. Obviously, the latter sadly went down a different path, but nobody can deny his talent and ability.
Garnacho’s footballing career is standing right there in front of him. With an attack-minded manager like Erik ten Hag on his way in, you’d expect the young man to only improve in a system that fits the teenager’s style down to the ground.
United now have ten days before they close out the season against Crystal Palace. That gives Garnacho well over a week to rest up, enjoy the FA Youth Cup success and prepare to take that next step.
Starting Garnacho in this game also gives United a clearer idea as to whether the attacker is ready to make that jump up on a permanent basis. Obviously, the young man still has some way to develop physically, while playing against grown men definitely helps to paint the picture of exactly where Garnacho is at in terms of his growth.
No doubt we’ll see Garnacho feature heavily on pre-season tour, but the fans would like to end this forgettable season on a high. Let’s put trust in Garnacho and give the Old Trafford faithful something to get excited about going forward.
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