Ruben Amorim Reveals Why Alejandro Garnacho Was Left Out of Manchester United Squad Against Aston Villa

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has finally broken his silence on why Alejandro Garnacho was left out of the squad for Sunday’s 2-0 win over Aston Villa — and his explanation comes amid growing rumours of a rift between the pair.

The 20-year-old winger was surprisingly excluded from the matchday squad, just days after he reacted angrily to being benched for the Europa League final loss to Tottenham. Garnacho played only 20 minutes in the final in Bilbao, despite having featured in nearly every round of the competition leading up to it.

Following the game, the Argentine winger appeared visibly upset and told reporters: “Up until the final I played every round helping the team, and today I play 20 minutes, I don’t know. The final will influence [my decision], but the whole season, the situation of the club.”

Those comments sparked immediate speculation about his future at Old Trafford, with reports even claiming Amorim had told the winger to find a new club. Garnacho’s girlfriend also added fuel to the fire, hinting on social media that he may have played his final game for United.

But speaking ahead of the Aston Villa game, Amorim dismissed talk of a transfer and insisted that Garnacho remains part of his plans — for now.

“No, Garnacho is a Manchester United player that is not in the squad today but he continues to be a Manchester United player,” the United boss said when asked directly about the player’s absence.

When asked whether Garnacho would be involved in United’s upcoming post-season tour to Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong, Amorim confirmed: “Yes, everyone is going because we have to go to meet our fans and give something to our fans on the other side of the world.”

Despite Amorim’s calm response, his decision to leave Garnacho out entirely suggests that there may still be tension behind the scenes. The winger’s outburst after the Europa League final was reportedly not well received inside the club, with sources suggesting Amorim wanted to give the player time to cool off.

Meanwhile, clubs like Napoli and Chelsea are monitoring Garnacho’s situation closely. Napoli are believed to be leading the race, while Chelsea had previously shown interest in signing the youngster during the January window.