Garnacho has one last chance to save his career - and Unai Emery knows it

Updated: 12 Sept 2026 08:16 BST | 4 min read

Alejandro Garnacho, Aston Villa, 2026/27 — © IMAGO

Robin Bairner | Chief Editor

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Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has backed Alejandro Garnacho to rediscover his best level at the Birmingham club.

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Garnacho is battling a prolonged slump in his form, with the Argentine having struggled to win over Ruben Amorim at Manchester United before being sold to Chelsea in 2025.

After a difficult campaign at Stamford Bridge, he has been loaned to Villa for the season, and Emery has his gaze fixed on getting the 22-year-old back on track.

Current ETV

Alejandro Garnacho

F, M (L)

A. Villa

Alejandro Garnacho

F, M (L)

A. Villa

ETV Range

€36.1M - €44.2M

The former Atletico Madrid youth has yet to start for Villa but has made three substitute appearances in the Premier League as the Birmingham side have made a sluggish start to the campaign.

His manager, though, is predicting better times ahead – but only if the winger continues to apply himself the way he has in recent weeks.

“His attitude is positive. That's very important, his attitude. He wants it, and he's giving the commitment we need,” Emery told the media.

“Now he needs time. Time, hard work every day and then, he's progressing. Every training session he is showing it.

“Then it is about showing it in matches. He has not played enough, but progressively I am seeing him better.

“The most important thing is he is consistent, demanding through the attitude he has, and then I believe he will achieve his best performance progressively.”

© Aston Villa Football Club - Alejandro Garnacho, Aston Villa

An attitude problem?

One of Garnacho’s major flaws has been this failure to apply himself rigorously and to show the discipline required to be a top player.

After being substituted by Amorim while still at Manchester United for tactical reasons in a clash against Ipswich, he stormed down the tunnel and was subsequently made to pay for dinner for the squad.

“He is a young kid that will learn,” Amorim explained at the time.

Except that until now, Garnacho has not shown that he has.

Garnacho’s last chance

His potential remains enormous, though. Data analytics firm SciSports believes he is so good that he could develop into a key player at any club in the world, while its forecast for his Villa career is also encouraging.

The experts believe that he should become a key player for Unai Emery at Villa Park once he is up to full speed, although it does warn that the player has been in ‘significant decline’ in terms of his level for the last six months.

© SciSports - Alejandro Garnacho can still reverse a period of decline to become an elite player

Emery, though, has shown himself to be capable of resolving such situations. As Jadon Sancho and Harvey Elliott proved, though, it can’t all be on the coach. External circumstances have to click, and in this case that means Garnacho applying himself to the full.

This could, after all, be his last chance to halt his decline at only 22.