Manchester United will not sell Garnacho to Chelsea to avoid a fan backlash.

The final decision was made as Manchester United feared a backlash from fans, especially given the team's inconsistent form.

Before the winter transfer window closed, both Manchester United and Chelsea considered a swap deal between Alejandro Garnacho and Christopher Nkunku to find a change in attack, as neither player had found the consistency expected at their new clubs. Chelsea showed particular interest in Garnacho, willing to pay the £65 million asking price from Man United. Garnacho was reportedly open to joining Chelsea, and his agent even appeared at Stamford Bridge.

However, the Manchester Evening News reports that MU has decided to keep Garnacho due to concerns about a wave of fan opposition. Garnacho is considered a key player in manager Ruben Amorim's rebuilding plan, so it would be difficult to convince fans to agree to let the Argentinian player go to Chelsea, which would have many consequences both professionally and for the club's image. Besides Chelsea, Napoli also made a £42 million offer, but it was quickly rejected.

Manager Amorim highly values ​​Garnacho's talent and emphasizes his importance to the current Manchester United squad. Given Garnacho's somewhat inconsistent form this season, the decision to keep him is considered far more beneficial for Manchester United than signing a player who is struggling to prove his worth and hasn't yet adapted to the Premier League environment.

More realistically, at a time when the team is experiencing internal conflicts and intense competition, the coach has the right to decide which stars to build the team around and what long-term direction to take for the club to have a chance to return to its golden age. The coach's firm defense of his players partly shows a united team and will support the team's future development strategy. Although Garnacho initially faced disciplinary issues in mid-December 2024, when he and Marcus Rashford violated club regulations, resulting in him being sidelined for several important matches, while his teammate was in serious decline, the Argentinian player chose to remain silent, focusing on training better, and thus quickly regaining the coach's trust. The important thing is always to prove yourself on the pitch; only then will all efforts become meaningful.

Since the start of the season, Garnacho has scored 8 goals and provided 6 assists in all competitions. The decision to keep Garnacho shows that MU is betting on the future of this young player, as the young midfielder is playing a key role in aiming to become one of the top scorers. However, MU is currently only 13th in the Premier League table.