What Could Alejandro Garnacho Do for Napoli in Serie A?

Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho has made quite the start to his professional career. Last year, he won the Premier League’s Goal of the Season award for his overhead kick against Everton. At 20 years old, he’s already earned several caps for World Cup winners Argentina.

In early January, David Ornstein, writing for The Athletic, reported United may be willing to sell players such as Kobbie Mainoo and Garnacho to meet the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR). United have made various efforts to boost their income, from selling homegrown Scott McTominay to releasing their Fantasy United game based on Tezo, a blockchain similar to Ethereum.

With Khvicha Kvaratskhelia off to Paris Saint-Germain, Antonio Conte will want a replacement. Is Garnacho a natural fit for Napoli?

Does Garnacho Make and Score Enough Goals?

Last season, Garnacho started most of United’s league games (30/38), coming off the bench in 6 more, and scored 7 league goals, with 4 assists.

In his breakout season, where he made 5 league starts and 14 sub appearances, Garnacho scored 3 goals and made 2 assists.

It’s not a tremendous track record, but then Garnacho is only 20, and there aren’t too many 20-year-olds who have achieved more.

In Napoli’s 2022-23 Serie A winning season, Kvaratskhelia scored 12 and assisted 10 in the league. He had a similar record last season, scoring 11 and assisting 6, and is on track to record the same numbers again.

Would Garnacho Want to Go?

Garnacho hasn’t yet cemented a place in Ruben Amorim’s 3-4-3 system. Some of Garnacho’s substitute appearances have been as a wing-back, and he’s one of several players who have been tested out in the two number 10 positions behind the central striker. As of mid-January, he’d featured in 11 of 13 matches under Amorim, with only four of those from the start. Garnacho might see Napoli as an opportunity to play more regularly and learn from one of the most successful coaches in recent times.

Garnacho is far from the finished product. Amorim recently suggested he has yet to fully understand his 3-4-3. The Independent reported Amorim saying, “He has talent. He needs to learn to play in a different position. He needs to play better inside. He improves a lot recovering (his) position when he doesn’t have the ball.

“But doing that, sometimes he’s not in the right place to make transitions like he was in the past because I prefer to defend and then build up with all the team to reach the final third.

“He’s finding the best way to play in this system. He’s improving during training.”

Is Garnacho Affordable?

beIn Sports reports that United value Garnacho at $75 million, with Napoli hoping to negotiate a lower fee.

Several sources reported that Napoli had already made an offer in mid-January. Italian journalist Alfredo Pedulla said their offer totalled €45 million euros (£38m) when bonuses were included.

Napoli’s record buy is Victor Osimhen, now at Galatasaray, for €77.5m.

They also spent €45m on Hirving Lozano, and way back in 2023/14 a massive €39m on Gonzalo Higuaín.

Has Conte Spoken About Garnacho Yet?

Though there have been reports that Conte has chosen Garnacho to replace Kvaratskhelia, Conte hasn’t spoken publicly about Garnacho.

Conte was disappointed with the club’s decision to sell Kvaratskhelia. Manchester Evening News reported Conte saying, “Kvara has asked to be sold. The club told me and he confirmed it: I feel very disappointed, because in these six months I have put him at the centre of the project making him understand that something important could be done and I have worked with the club for the renewal, instead we are back to the beginning.”

Conte has a history of falling out with club officials. In an explosive press conference during his time at Tottenham Hotspur, he said, “Twenty years there is the owner and they never won something, but why? The fault is only for the club, or for every manager that stay[s] here?” He left the same month after the team were knocked out of the Champions League and FA Cup.

Conte joined Napoli in the summer last year, having been out of work since leaving Spurs in March 2023.

Could Napoli Win Serie A?

Along with Inter, they look the likeliest. Atalanta, in third, are having one of their best seasons in recent memory. Juventus haven’t lost a game, as of mid-January, but too many draws have cost them and probably put them out of reach of the top two. After slipping to 10th last season, Napoli look on course for a second title in three years.