Garnacho: 'It pains me to leave MU...'

Alejandro Garnacho first opened up about leaving MU, admitting he had made some mistakes and that parting with the Red Devils left him "heartbroken".

Garnacho explains his departure from MU

The Argentine star joined Chelsea in the summer for a fee of £40 million, after disagreements arose with former manager Ruben Amorim, culminating in a heated argument between the two in front of the entire team.

Garnacho put himself in a confrontational position with Amorim by publicly expressing dissatisfaction over being brought on from the bench late in MU's forgettable defeat to Tottenham in the Europa League final in May. Garnacho's brother Roberto also "added fuel to the fire" by posting a message on social media criticizing the head coach for "making his brother bear the brunt".

According to Daily Mail Sport, in June, Garnacho was one of five MU players allowed to delay joining the squad to find a new club. It is understood that Amorim told the whole team directly that Garnacho should leave, and ultimately that happened.

Before leaving Old Trafford, Garnacho also stirred controversy by posting a photo wearing an Aston Villa shirt with Marcus Rashford's name – a former teammate who also wasn't favored by Amorim. These actions drew criticism from fans, but now Garnacho has spoken up, asserting he holds no ill feelings towards MU after five years of association.

When asked if he regretted how things unfolded, he said: "Probably yes, because I loved that club. They gave me trust from the very start, bringing me from Spain to the academy and then to the first team. It was 4-5 years of wonderful affection from everyone – from the fans, the stadium, everything was great. But sometimes you have to change for life or the next steps. I only have beautiful memories of MU."

After a rocky start under Amorim, the Portuguese manager praised Garnacho's efforts as he reclaimed his place in the lineup, even though he didn't quite fit the three‑defender system.

A pure winger like Garnacho had to play as a number 10, but things quickly deteriorated and he was pushed down the pecking order. That was also the main reason he decided to leave – while admitting he had acted improperly when not getting to play.

"I remember in the last six months, I wasn't playing as much at MU as before. I started sitting on the bench, which wasn't entirely bad since I was only 20, but mentally, I wanted to play every match. Perhaps the fault was partly mine, I started doing a few things that weren't good. But that was just a phase in life, and sometimes you have to make decisions. I'm very proud to be here and still playing in the Premier League for a club like this."

Everyone knows the quality of our team and what we can achieve. There are highs and lows, but I'm proud to be here. Regarding MU, I have nothing bad to say about the club, about anyone or my teammates. It was just a phase, and life goes on. I have no regrets."

This season, Garnacho has played 37 matches across all competitions and scored 8 goals, including 9 appearances in the Champions League. He faced considerable difficulty, starting only 20 matches. Nevertheless, Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior praised his player in March:

"Garna is a top‑class player. I've tweaked the tactics a bit since arriving here, prioritizing midfield control, so sometimes I use only one winger. But Garna is an excellent player. What I like most is how he reacts when not starting. He trains very well and shows a positive attitude when coming on, like against Arsenal. He also played brilliantly against Hull in the FA Cup and had a big impact against Arsenal by scoring two goals."

We must remember Garna is only 21 – he has huge potential. For young players, the most important thing is consistency, and he's showing very positive signs, not only in training but also in meetings. He will definitely get many playing opportunities in the upcoming fixtures," Rosenior asserted.