Man Utd and Aston Villa hold Garnacho talks with swap deal on the cards
Aston Villa and Manchester United could strike a deal for Alejandro Garnacho which satisfies all parties.
The Argentine has fallen out of favour with Ruben Amorim and is looking for a new destination to arrive at this summer.
It has long been believed that Garnacho has unearthed potential which could come to light under the right manager. As a result, Villa are considering a move for the winger this summer.
And it seems the pieces could finally fall into place for all parties in the coming days.
Villa and United to discuss swap deal involving Ollie Watkins
The Red Devils are on the hunt for a striker and have not kept their interest in Ollie Watkins a secret.
The Englishman found himself starting from the bench on several occasions to compensate for the arrival of Marcus Rashford. This treatment could prompt him to consider a Villa departure this summer.
Unai Emery’s side are not keen on letting Watkins leave and are ever prepared to reaffirm their commitment to the forward. But United are not a club known for giving up on what they desire.
As reported by The Independent on Tuesday (29 July), Man United have spoken to Villa about Garnacho and the possibility of Watkins going the other way.
The Old Trafford hierarchy are attempting to find innovative solutions to several transfer problems, and a swap deal would solve at least one of them. However, it remains to be seen if the Villans are amenable to United’s suggestion.
A straight swap deal may not be worth it
While Garnacho would be a beneficial arrival, a straight swap deal may not be in Villa’s best interests.
For one, the club will be swapping an experienced player in his prime with one still in the earlier stages of his development, which makes little sense. It is unrealistic to expect Garnacho to hit the ground running during his first or even third season.
| Player | Season | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
| Alejandro Garnacho | 2024/25 | 58 | 11 | 10 |
| Ollie Watkins | 2024/25 | 54 | 17 | 14 |
Meanwhile, United will receive a player who could offer them a high level a lot sooner. As such, Villa should look to recoup a fee as well as the youngster within the deal. This could be put towards another centre-forward option who could perform at his best far quicker.
Sign up for the Villa News WhatsApp channel and turn on notifications to have all the latest, breaking Aston Villa news sent straight to your phone.