Alejandro Garnacho has joined Aston Villa in a £43million deal after a very underwhelming season with Chelsea.
The Argentine arrived at Stamford Bridge to much fanfare following his breakthrough spell at Manchester United, but the winger failed to set West London alight – and new boss Xabi Alonso has offloaded the attacker.
Villa chief Unai Emery seemingly has a different view to his Spanish counterpart, and the Villans have completed a move for the 22-year-old as he looks to cement the club’s status as an elite Premier League team.
The stats, however, make for grim reading for him and his new manager. In the 2025-26 season he scored just one goal and provided four assists from 24 Premier League appearances.
Those numbers are in stark contrast to his Old Trafford return, where he scored seven goals under Ruben Amorim in the season prior to his move to Chelsea, as well as laying on three assists for his team-mates.
The expected goals also paint a bleak picture. At United, he produced a personal best xG of 8.2 in 2024-25, while at Chelsea this plummeted to 3.45.
Alejandro Garnacho has completed a £43million move from Chelsea to Aston Villa
The winger had a difficult spell at Stamford Bridge and his output was limited
Unai Emery has a record of getting the most out of players and will back himself to help his man
As a result, Enzo Maresca, Liam Rosenior and Calum McFarlane all lost their trust in the 22-year-old, and his minutes were limited. In fact, at Chelsea last season, Garnacho played half the number of minutes he had played at Manchester United the season before he joined the Blues.
Yet there is reason to be optimistic for Emery. While Garnacho’s goal contributions dropped dramatically last season, his xA (expected assists) marginally increased from his campaign with United in 2024-25, at 3.7. Chelsea’s blunt attack were simply unable to finish his chances created.
The prospect of Villa striker Ollie Watkins benefitting from Garnacho’s flair and creativity caught Emery’s attention. A change of scenery, away from the chaos that engulfed Stamford Bridge, may finally unlock his potential.
That talent was witnessed at Everton in November 2023, where Garnacho made headlines around the world with his outrageous bicycle kick. He is a man for the big stage and could thrive as Villa’s main man on big European nights.
Of course, Garnacho’s prospective arrival comes with risks. His poor recent form is a concern, and Emery will have to use his best man management skills to restore confidence in the winger.
Garnacho’s character has also been called into question, with his Instagram post supporting Marcus Rashford by wearing a Villa shirt in 2025 viewed as a dig at then-manager Ruben Amorim. He has also been accused by fans of leaking team line-ups during his spells at both United and Chelsea.
However, Emery will back himself to get the best out of Garnacho. His track record at Villa Park is exceptional, as shown by his transformation of Morgan Rogers from a £15m signing from Middlesbrough to Britain’s most expensive footballer after his £117m transfer to Chelsea.
It’s a big gamble, especially considering Villa’s tumultuous relationship with football’s Profit and Sustainability Rules, but Garnacho could be the diamond in the rough that takes Villa to another level.
