OFFICIAL: Man Utd beaten to Garnacho replacement by IPSWICH

Robin Bairner

• Updated: 23 Jan 2025 11:23 GMT
• 6 min read

Manchester United’s miserable period goes on, with Ipswich Town confirming that they have signed Julio Enciso from Brighton, a player Ruben Amorim’s side had lined up to replace the outgoing Alejandro Garnacho.

Garnacho is set to depart Man Utd this month. Napoli had appeared to be the likeliest destination for the Argentina international, though Fabrizio Romano has now cast doubt on that move, suggesting that Chelsea have a free run at the 20-year-old winger.

In the meantime, the Red Devils are looking at alternatives and had pinpointed Brighton’s Paraguay international Enciso as a potential target, despite the youngster more typically favouring a central position.

READ MORE: Premier League January transfers 2025: All the Done Deals

STATS

Julio Enciso

M (C)

Brighton

Julio Enciso

M (C)

Brighton

Premier League

2024/25

• 11

  Games

• 0

  Goals

• 0

  Assists

View all stats

Julie Enciso: Ipswich win race for Brighton star

Ipswich, though, have beaten United to the punch by landing the 21-year-old. Following reports by Tuttomercatoweb that a deal was concluded, the Portman Road outfit have confirmed the deal.

“I am so happy to be here,” Enciso, who celebrated his 21st birthday with the move, told TownTV.

“The conversations with the Manager have been good. I am very grateful to him and the Club for believing in me. I can’t wait to get going.

“I’m a real fighter and I will do my best in every game.”

Indeed, the Tractor Boys have also fought off competition from Atalanta in Serie A and Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga for a player who has an Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) of €8.6 million.

Kieran McKenna, Ipswich’s manager and a previous coach at Man Utd, appears to have been crucial in the decision, with the 38-year-old manager having repeatedly called Enciso in an attempt to make his sign for Ipswich until the end of the season.

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Brighton, meanwhile, were keen for the player not to go abroad. The reason why is simple: Enciso will complete his third season in the Premier League if he stays in England and this will be enough to see him registered as a homegrown player.

That should have been an opening for Man Utd, who contacted Brighton expressing an interest in the player due to Garnacho’s likely departure. There was even an attempted bid, the Italian source claims, but when it was made, the deal between the Seagulls and Ipswich had already been struck, with the Old Trafford side arriving on the scene too late.