Just like last season, questions are being asked about Alejandro Garnacho. Two months after joining from Chelsea on an initial loan, the winger has yet to convince Aston Villa boss Unai Emery of his worth. The Argentina forward has played just 31 minutes for Villa, spread across three substitute appearances.
A 15-minute outing against Hull is the most time he has spent on the pitch in a game. Garnacho has been an unused substitute for Villa's past four matches , watching from the bench again as they won 3-2 at Tottenham on Saturday. One goal and four assists in 24 Premier League games for Chelsea last term fell below what the Blues expected from their £40m recruit from Manchester United, so he was allowed to move on.
This campaign is only a month old, but 22-year-old Garnacho could be at a crossroads at Villa Park already. Emery likes to ease new players into his teams. Youri Tielemans did not start a Premier League game until November 2023 after joining in the summer, but became an integral part of Emery's machine.
Only Joao Gomes, out of 10 new summer signings, started Villa's opening Premier League game. Just two - Zion Suzuki and Nicolas Jackson - started the next. Garnacho's situation feels extreme though, having been left on the bench for the Carabao Cup win at Coventry when Emery made seven changes.
Academy product George Hemmings, who joined Villa from Forest as a teenager, has started the season well to earn Emery's full trust and start ahead of Garnacho. Ibrahim Mbaye, a £47m arrival from Paris St-Germain, made his first Villa start in the 3-1 victory at Coventry and is also preferred to Garnacho for now. A facial injury in early August hampered Garnacho's pre-season and meant he missed the Super Cup defeat by Paris St-Germain, adding to the complications.
Emery needs his players to understand their roles and his methods before having full faith in them and he expects Garnacho to catch up. Work, work, train, work," Emery said when asked about Garnacho's absence from the pitch. "When he can have minutes to play, try to play well.
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