What Alejandro Garnacho did to ‘block’ Man United transfer in January revealed in new £40m twist

What Alejandro Garnacho did to ‘block’ Man United transfer in January revealed in new £40m twist

Alejandro Garnacho’s wage demands were one of the reasons that Napoli failed to sign him over the January transfer window.

The Manchester United forward was one of the most talked about players during a frantic and loud few weeks at Old Trafford.

Although United’s business was ultimately minimal it didn’t stop there being plenty of noise around players on the outside of Ruben Amorim’s squad.

Garnacho, who had been left out of the matchday squad for the Manchester derby, was briefly one of those.

He has since returned into the team and has picked up his form despite not registering much output from an unnatural attacking spot.

Amorim has also used the Argentine at wingback on occasion as he continues to try out new options in his system.

Amorim’s trust in Garnacho has already grown significantly and that is shown on the pitch and by what the head coach is saying. That didn’t stop United from considering a sale as Chelsea and Napoli showed interest.

Due to their cash-flow issues, United have been forced to remain open to selling even their best young players. Kobbie Mainoo is no longer off limits either.

Garnacho was the one more likely to leave before Monday’s deadline. Things could have been different as well. According to Napoli director Giovanni Manna, failing to reach an agreement with the player cost his club.

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“We pushed for Garnacho before Kvara [Khvicha Kvaratskhelia] left, but he wanted a salary we couldn’t justify,” he explained. Napoli were attempting to replace their star winger on the left after he joined Paris Saint-Germain for over £60million.

Antonio Conte’s side were also pushing for Borussia Dortmund speedster Karim Adeyemi. “We lost time on big names instead of moving earlier on the right profiles,” Manna said honestly at a press conference on Wednesday.

“Garnacho and Adeyemi were close, but we don’t want to create false expectations. If a player changes his stance midway and suddenly wants different conditions, I don’t like it. If you want to come to Napoli, you should want it from the start.”

He continued: “We tried to replace Kvara, but January is tough—strong players rarely move, and some valuations didn’t align with our financial parameters. We won’t compromise on salary structure.”

As for the money available, Manna said: “When you have money, prices rise. Summer is different—more availability, clubs need to sell first. We won’t overpay or go beyond our financial structure.”

It is understood that Napoli went as far as offering £40million for Garnacho, a bid which fell way below United’s own valuation. They were only willing to entertain getting at least £60million for the 20-year-old.

“We have a clear strategy,” Manna finished. “Some clubs can afford things we cannot, and that’s fine—it aligns with our history and values. But Napoli is financially stable, in the black, and not in debt. We will not make reckless