Alejandro Garnacho has enjoyed a big season of progress for Manchester United, becoming an ever present in Erik ten Hag’s squad.
During an injury-hit season for Manchester United, Alejandro Garnacho‘s reliability was very useful to the team.
He struck his 10th goal of the season at the weekend, becoming the youngest player since Cristiano Ronaldo to score in the FA Cup Final, before academy teammate Kobbie Mainoo repeated the feat minutes later.
If there is one thing Garnacho and Mainoo both now need, it’s a rest. Unfortunately, that does not look like happening too imminently.
Mainoo is part of the Euro 2024 squad, while Garnacho is heading to the Copa America with Argentina. Now there is an even further complication.
Alejandro Garnacho wanted for Olympic tournament
The Copa America tournament runs simultaneously to Euro 2024, finishing on July 14. Manchester United’s first pre-season game is on July 15.
If Argentina were to get all the way to the final, Garnacho would get extra time off, potentially only joining up with United in time for the first game in the US on July 27.
However, there is now an added complication, with Argentina under-23 boss Javier Mascherano signalling he wants Garnacho in the Olympic squad for the tournament in Paris 2024.
According to TNT Sports Argentina, a request has been made to Manchester United to release Garnacho for the tournament.
The report states, ‘a decision is awaited’, indicating that the Red Devils are yet to make a ruling.
Whether United would deny Garnacho the chance to play at the Olympics is hard to say. The teenager is proud of his Argentine heritage, recently draping himself in the country’s flag at Wembley as he celebrated winning the FA Cup, just like he did after winning the FA Youth Cup in 2022.
There is some good news, Lisandro Martinez is not one of the three overage players Argentina intends to call up. These are Nicolas Otamendi, Julian Alvarez and Emiliano Martinez.
When the Olympic football tournament takes place
The Olympic football tournament runs between July 24 and August 10. Argentina would be one of the teams fancied to go the distance.
This would mean Garnacho missing the entire pre-season, including the Community Shield, which takes place on August 10.
He would not miss any Premier League games, with the 2024/25 season beginning on the weekend of August 17.
There is a quite obvious dilemma, however, of when exactly Garnacho could get some rest?
He has a few days or so now before he links up with Argentina ahead of the Copa America. One small consolation there is that he is not a regular starter. He has five caps in total, which include just one start, and only five minutes of action in competitive games.
Garnacho has 86 appearances to his name for Manchester United already at the age of just 19. It’s a very high number.
Fortunately Marcus Rashford is getting a rest this summer. He should be fresh next season at least, unlike Garnacho, who better enjoy this brief period of a week’s rest while he can.