Man Utd's Garnacho... what is he worth?

Its not my intention to provide the latest EPL news, there are plenty of places for that if you need a daily fix. I want to use stats to delve a bit deeper into some of those news stories.

We all know it's currently transfer fever time, but there is one player who has me baffled as to why there hasn't been some concrete offers made.

Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho...

Sure Chelsea and Everton have been linked but if you snooze you lose. Apparently he want's to stay in the EPL so I would throw Nottm Forest and Villa in there too (to mention but 2) as potential suitors and I'm asking why aren't more teams interested?

Alejandro Garnacho's current status as a player "out of favour" and listed for transfer at Man United is the result of a convergence of factors, primarily driven by the uncompromising managerial approach of Ruben Amorim. Also and prominently, a breakdown in the player-manager relationship appears to have occurred as well, particularly following the Europa League final. Garnacho's public questioning of Amorim's decisions, his critical comments about the season, and "incendiary social media posts" directly contradicted Amorim's demand for "100%" commitment and discipline. This perceived insubordination has led to his inclusion in the 'bomb squad' (see bbc story https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/cp86p606gvko) and the ‘bombers’' subsequent exclusion from pre-season activities as well as training seperatley from the rest of the squad.

Despite his earlier promise and contributions, Garnacho experienced a significant goal drought and poor chance conversion last season under Amorim, rendering him an ineffective attacking outlet in a team already struggling for goals. His high expected goals (xG) contrasted with his low actual goals highlighting a critical underperformance.

But his figures across the board tell a different story and he rates highly in the Anorak FC Index Rating. And remember these stats from last season were from when he wasn't in favour and in an under-performing United side even when he was picked.

As a direct comparison I have put him alongside Anthony Elanga who has just sold to Newcastle for £55M (which is also the median price for the eight transfers of Attacking Midfielders/Forwards in my previous post). I considered Elanga value for money. United reportedly wanted £70M for Garnacho when Chelsea asked the question last year. So all the shanagins have seemingly dropped United's asking price and his reported value. I don’t think his value is as low as predicted. Garnacho tops out on several metrics when compared to Elanga and is very close on other metrics. If you can use Elanga’s price as something of a benchmark, then why is Garnacho only rated at around £40M?

Amorim's rigid adherence to his 3-4-3 system and his expectation that players adapt to his specific tactical demands may not align with Garnacho's individualistic playing style or work rate, particularly concerning defensive responsibilities. The manager's philosophy prioritises system over individual adaptation, which can lead to incompatibility for certain players. So incompatible at Man Utd he may be, but that doesn't nessessarily mean a different team/manager won’t be able to get the best out of Garnacho.

The media whispers are that United would take £40M (and Chelsea value him closer to £30M). However I think he is under-valued at £40M by at least £15M if not even £20M? He is only 20 years old… surely there is a lot more potential. So, I think he could be a bit of a steal at £40M, but if Anorak FC had the funds (and was a real EPL team, LOL) I would see if they would take £34M to get rid of a thorn in their side. He could turn out to be a bloomin rose instead of a thorn...

FROM THE DUGOUT