Alejandro Garnacho was once seen as a promising talent at Manchester United, making his way up through the academy to join the senior team.
However, after Erik ten Hag left the club, a public dispute with Ruben Amorim resulted in Garnacho being sidelined, landing him in the so-called “bomb squad.”
He joined Marcus Rashford, Antony, Jadon Sancho, and Tyrell Malacia as players deemed surplus to requirements last summer, ultimately transferring to Chelsea for £40 million.
Now, nearly a year later at Chelsea, the 21-year-old has played 37 games, scoring eight goals and providing four assists in all competitions.
In the Premier League, he has only managed one goal and four assists in 20 appearances, leading to questions about his future at Stamford Bridge.
According to Argentinian broadcaster TyC, reported by Football London, a return to Argentina might be possible.
The report notes that River Plate’s manager, Eduardo Coudet, has reached out to Garnacho about a potential season-long loan to help him regain his form.
Recently, Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior has relied on the winger less, giving him just 33 minutes against PSG over two legs in the Champions League and 29 minutes against Port Vale in the FA Cup.
A loan move could be beneficial for Garnacho, allowing him to showcase his skills again without the pressure of Premier League demands.
However, joining River Plate may be complicated due to their intense rivalry with Boca Juniors, a club supported by Garnacho’s family.
The bigger challenge would be Garnacho’s salary; River Plate’s total weekly wage bill is around £545,000, while he currently earns £110,000—a mere 20% of that amount.
This means that River Plate would need to negotiate with Chelsea to cover part of his wages or for Garnacho to accept a pay cut.