Alejandro Garnacho ready to leave Chelsea to aid World Cup dream

Cameron Smith

22 Jan 2026 08:30 CST
3 min read

Alejandro Garnacho is ready to leave Chelsea and rejoin Atletico Madrid on loan, according to a shock report from Spain.

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The Argentina international completed a €46.2 million move from Manchester United to Stamford Bridge last summer and he has quickly established himself as a key member of the Blues’ first-team squad.

Garnacho has scored six goals and provided three assists in 24 appearances across all competitions so far this season, and he has been included in the starting XI in 11 of Chelsea’s 22 Premier League matches in 2025-26.

However, the 21-year-old faces competition for places from Jamie Gittens and Pedro Neto, and he is concerned that he will not be included in Argentina’s squad for the upcoming 2026 World Cup if he fails to play regular football for the remainder of the campaign.

That is according to Spanish publication Fichajes, who speculatively claim that Garnacho is now ready to leave Chelsea on a six-month loan deal in order to bolster his chances of being selected by Lionel Scaloni.

The Argentine spent five years at Atletico Madrid before his move to Man Utd in 2020 and Diego Simeone’s side are reportedly interested in bringing him back to the club before Transfer Deadline Day on 2 February.

The Spanish giants have been monitoring his progress for several months and they believe Garnacho would be a fantastic addition to Simeone’s squad for the remainder of the season, as per Fichajes.

Atletico Madrid want Alejandro Garnacho

Although Garnacho is reportedly open to a temporary Chelsea exit, Liam Rosenior’s side are unlikely to sanction a loan transfer given their congested fixture schedule.

The Blues are eager to land a new forward this year, however they are expected to wait until this summer before dipping back into the market for attacking reinforcements and Garnacho is therefore unlikely to depart this month.

However, Simeone has reportedly approved Atletico Madrid’s pursuit of the 21-year-old, meaning Chelsea could feasibly receive an official proposal before the transfer window slams shut.

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