Garnacho 'must work on decision-making' as Man Utd eye summer replacement

Stuart Telford

• 15 Mar 2024 11:00 CDT
• 4 min read

Alejandro Garnacho has been one of the success stories at Manchester United under Erik ten Hag, but club legend Rio Ferdinand thinks he needs to do more.

Garnacho has become a first-choice wide player at United, ahead of the €100 million Antony, who has failed to contribute a goal in 22 Premier League games this season, and the €85m Jadon Sancho, who is back on loan at Borussia Dortmund.

Garnacho has five goals and three assists in the English top flight, meanwhile, and the 19-year-old is now valued at €33.2 million by FootballTransfers' in-house algorithm.

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But Ferdinand, who won six Premier Leagues and a Champions League as a centre-back with United between 2003 and 2013, thinks Garnacho still has some way to go before he is considered world class.

Garnacho no Rooney or Bellingham

"[He's] young. Most young players do everything, and then that's the hardest part of the game: decision-making," he said on his FIVE YouTube channel. "Most of the young players, other than your super-elites like the [Wayne] Rooneys when you come through, the [Jude] Bellinghams, etc…

"Other than those guys, they're getting that right at such a young age which makes them that elite level and special. Garnacho, the only part of his game at the moment for me that he needs to work on is that decision-making. But I think that's just youth. I hope. You've got to develop that."

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While Garnacho is not one of the first players bound for the Old Trafford exit once Sir Jim Ratcliffe's regime is in full swing, United are looking at a player in his position in Crystal Palace's Michael Olise.

As exclusively revealed by FootballTransfers' Jacque Talbot recently, United have put the France U21 winger at the top of their summer shopping list alongside Everton centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite.

Mason Greenwood's potential return from Getafe puts further pressure on Garnacho's place in United's starting line-up.