Aston Villa receive transfer boost with £60m-rated Manchester United attacker 'open' to Villa Park move

Aston Villa face Newcastle United in their opening fixture of the 2025/26 Premier League season. They then face an away trip to Brentford the week after. In the meantime, they have some more pre-season friendlies to get through first.

Unai Emery’s side have lost their last two pre-season games on the spin against Walsall and Hansa Rostock. Nevertheless, these matches are mainly just for fitness. They take on Bundesliga club Eintracht Frankfurt next on Sunday.

Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho open to Aston Villa move

According to TBR Football, Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho is ‘open’ to a move to Aston Villa. The report adds that Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea are ‘monitoring’ his situation at the moment. His long-term future at Old Trafford is up in the air with The Mirror claiming his price tag is £60million.

Journalist Graeme Bailey has said: “Alejandro Garnacho wants to stay in England, and there are only so many options. Chelsea, we know, like him, whilst Tottenham have maintained contact. But Aston Villa have emerged as an option, I am told the player has done his homework on the possibility of working with Unai Emery, and he has heard good things.

“Emery knows how to get a tune out of these young talents – we have seen it with the likes of Morgan Rogers, indeed, could Garnacho replace the England man? It is not impossible. Villa want to make some impact on the market this summer, and Garnacho could be just that for them.”

Garnacho, 21, is under contract at United until June 2028. Therefore, he still has a few years left to run down and the Red Devils are under no pressure to sell him in this window unless they want to. Ruben Amorim will be weighing up what to do with him next amid attention from elsewhere.

Would Alejandro Garnacho suit Aston Villa?

Aston Villa could see Garnacho as someone to boost their attacking department. If he joined, he would give them more firepower at the top end of the pitch. In addition, he could give Emery more competition and depth on the wing.

The Argentina international, who has eight caps under his belt, started his career with spells in Spain at Getafe and Atletico Madrid. He moved over to England as a teenager in 2020. The forward then broke into United’s first-team and has since made 144 appearances, chipping in with 26 goals, 11 of which came in the last campaign.

Time will tell whether Aston Villa end up lodging an approach. In the meantime, they continue their preparations for next term. Speaking after their loss to Hansa Rostock over in Germany, defender Pau Torres said: “It was a good game to get fit. We still have many young lads. They did an amazing season last season with the Under-21s and Under-18s. We are happy as well to have them in the team, in the squad, helping them to improve, and I think it’s good for the club that the young lads can play with us. Still work to do and achieve.”