Alejandro Garnacho facing Chelsea exit as Xabi Alonso cuts ties with £40m signing

Alejandro Garnacho’s £40m Chelsea experiment is over after Xabi Alonso confirmed the 22-year-old will not feature in his plans at Stamford Bridge.

The Argentine winger arrived from Manchester United last summer amid high hopes, but his first season at Chelsea has collapsed into chaos. Alonso has already told staff Garnacho is surplus to requirements, with clubs in England, Italy and Saudi Arabia circling. Chelsea want around £43m to release him before the window shuts.

What went wrong for Alejandro Garnacho at Chelsea

Garnacho’s Chelsea career started with promise. Enzo Maresca, who signed him, praised the winger’s attitude in September: “He’s working well. He needs to work because he arrived here probably not 100 per cent fit.” But the honeymoon ended fast.

By April, Garnacho’s United return became a humiliation. He came off the bench at Stamford Bridge as Chelsea lost 1-0 to a Matheus Cunha goal. Worse, his teammates blasted him at half-time, reported The Sun. Luke Shaw then mocked Garnacho’s lack of impact with a post showing a robust challenge, which United stars including Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Dalot liked or commented on.

Xabi Alonso’s verdict on Garnacho’s Chelsea future

Alonso made his stance clear in his first press conference as Chelsea boss. “We have spoken with the sports directors,” he said. “There is an interest from him from other clubs, so let’s see how it develops.”

Chelsea’s scattergun transfer policy has drawn ridicule, and Garnacho’s exit would cap another failed big-money gamble. The club kick off their Premier League season at Fulham on 24 August, with Alonso desperate to restore order.

Where next for Alejandro Garnacho?

Garnacho, 22, is not guaranteed game time at Chelsea. Clubs in the Premier League, Italy and Saudi Arabia have scouted him, and Chelsea are ready to listen to offers around £43m. The winger’s future now hinges on finding a new club before the window closes.

And the clock is ticking. Chelsea’s opening fixture looms, and Alonso’s first squad picture looks set to exclude the man who cost £40m.