Who is Alejandro Garnacho? The 'new Ronaldo' set for improved Man Utd contract

Martin Macdonald

6 Nov 2022 08:02 CST
6 min read

Alejandro Garnacho, Man Utd — © ProShots

Manchester United superstar Cristiano Ronaldo returned to the club in 2021, and while his powers are waning, it appears the club might have a Ronaldo for the future, too.

Article continues under the video

Alejandro Garnacho, formerly of Atletico Madrid, is currently within the youth system at Old Trafford and is already making a name for himself.

Man Utd beat Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid to his signature two years ago, and he is reportedly on the cusp of a newly improved contract to extend his stay at Old Trafford following his FA Youth Cup heroics and his first-team debut.

So, what kind of player is he?

What position does Alejandro Garnacho play in?

Garnacho plays as a winger.

How good is Alejandro Garnacho?

Any player compared to Ronaldo should give some indication of his potential level of talent, though these comparisons can also be attributed to the fact he plays with Man Utd and his position.

Also, the young player has been known to copy Ronaldo's famed celebration.

Like Ronaldo in his early days, Garnacho has pace and power which allow him to terrify defenders, and at just 17-years-old, his physicality will only progress.

Born in Spain, Garnacho is also eligible to play for Argentina due to his mother.

He has already received shock call-up to the full Argentina squad, though he didn't make his debut, and scored his first senior goal for Man Utd in the Europa League against Real Sociedad.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Alejandro Garnacho (@garnacho7)

Garnacho first turned heads in the FA Youth Cup, scoring a beauty in the semi-final against Wolves to send United to the final and backing that up with two goals in the final to beat Nottingham Forest.

He netted 15 goals in all competitions for Man Utd teams last season, including seven in the aforementioned FA Youth Cup. The Argentine was also named as Man Utd's Young Player of the Year, and picking up the Jimmy Murphy Award like Marcus Rashford, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes before him.

Former Man Utd player Febian Brandy spoke on MUTV about Garnacho and revealed what make him so special. “He’s a full-back’s nightmare. He can go either side, cut inside. He makes it difficult for defenders all game," he said.

“He is a great talent with a very bright future.”

Garnacho made his first-team debut came off the bench in the 1-1 draw with Chelsea in late April, which was just reward for his incredible season.

He made his first Premier League start against Aston Villa on November 6 alongside Ronaldo in attack.

As a result, Man Utd are keen to tie him down to a new deal.