'Read the room' - Aston Villa transfer target criticised for what he did last week amid Man United exit talks
Exclusive: Aston Villa told to be careful as a transfer draws ever nearer for a Man United attacker.
Aston Villa transfer target Alejandro Garnacho needs to sort out his behaviour quickly otherwise he could leave Manchester United in a sour taste, believes former Premier League and England striker Teddy Sheringham.
Garnacho has been widely criticised for a controversial social media post he made last week. The winger published a photo of himself wearing a Villa shirt with Marcus Rashford’s name on the back, supporting his friend and teammate while also possibly hinting at a potential transfer.
Sheringham, who played 104 times for Man Utd between 1997 and 2001, thinks the Red Devils should let Garnacho leave sooner rather than later as he’s proving to be more trouble than he’s worth. It’s not the first case of behavioural troubles as head coach Ruben Amorim pushed for Rashford’s loan move to Villa after a falling out over work rate.
Alejandro Garnacho warned amid Aston Villa transfer links
Several players are expected to depart Old Trafford in a squad overhaul and Sheringham thinks Garnacho should be one of the first to go. When asked if United would be making a mistake in selling the Argentina international, Sheringham told Birmingham World, via Racing Tipster: “Not really. Not with the vibes that Garnacho is giving off. His body language, and so on.
“We don’t know the insides and outsides of what’s going on, of course. But for me, if you want to stay as a Manchester United player and fight for that privilege to be part of the Man United team, you get your head down and you carry on. Even through the tough periods. You dig deep.
“You don’t start putting on Aston Villa shirts and following that path of making the fans feel like you don’t care if you’re still at United or leaving. They’ve got to realise that they’re at one of the top football clubs in the world and they should be fighting, fighting for their life, to stay there.
“I get why he was posting the photo, and how he was showing support for a friend. But it’s all about timing. You’ve got to read the room. Get a feel for how the fans are going to be at certain times. After a win, after a defeat, after a great season, after a bad season.
“It wasn’t like that in my time, of course. We didn’t tell the world we wished our mates on other teams the best or that we’re going on holiday on social media. We just did it, you know? Fans won’t mind you showing support for a mate at another team or saying you’re going on holiday online, if the timing’s right. You’ve got to read the room and make sure it’s okay from that perspective,” Sheringham said.
Villa can land Garnacho at discounted price
When Villa’s interest in Garnacho was first speculated, United were reportedly seeking around £60 million to let their number 17 leave. That price tag may not exist any longer, however, as a report from the Daily Star suggests Man Utd have slashed their asking price by 25 per cent, listing him on the market for £45 million.
Albeit still a lot of money for Villa to cough up due to their concerns surrounding the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules (PSR), that figure sounds far friendlier than the one previously quoted. Garnacho wants to leave Old Trafford and United have already told him he needs to find a new club, so there’s never been a better opening.
One of Unai Emery’s specialities is helping troubled players say farewell to poor conduct. Although wild former striker Jhon Duran was never to be fully tamed, Emery did a good job to push the Colombian in the right direction before his stunning £67 million transfer to Al-Nassr. He could perform similar magic with Garnacho.