Chelsea have officially completed the signing of Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho for a reported £40 million ($54 million) fee, securing the 21-year-old Argentine on a seven-year contract.
The highly-rated forward was unveiled at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, where he watched the Blues claim a 2-0 win over Fulham, a result that sent them top of the Premier League.
Speaking on his arrival, Garnacho expressed his excitement:
“It’s an incredible moment for my family and me to join this great club. I can’t wait to get started. I watched the Club World Cup, and to join the world champions is special – we’re the best team in the world! It’s amazing to be here and I’m very happy.”
Garnacho leaves Old Trafford after scoring 26 goals in 144 appearances for United, including a crucial strike in their 2024 FA Cup final victory over Manchester City. However, he fell out of favour under manager Ruben Amorim, joining Antony and Jadon Sancho among players excluded from first-team training this season.
The Argentine becomes part of a big-spending transfer window for Chelsea, who have now spent over £250 million to bolster Enzo Maresca’s squad. Other new arrivals include Joao Pedro, Liam Delap, Estevao, and Jamie Gittens.
However, Garnacho’s signing comes amid a striker crisis at Stamford Bridge. Liam Delap sustained a hamstring injury against Fulham and is expected to be sidelined for six to eight weeks. This setback could block Nicolas Jackson’s loan move to Bayern Munich, with Chelsea reluctant to be left short on attacking options.
Manager Maresca admitted:
“When you have two strikers, it’s enough. When one of them is injured for different weeks, probably it’s not enough.”
Chelsea fans will now be eager to see how Garnacho fits into Maresca’s plans as the Blues push for domestic and European glory this season.
