Former Aston Villa goalkeeper Brad Friedel has backed Alejandro Garnacho to prove a good signing for the club under Unai Emery, despite the winger's difficult start to life at Villa Park. Garnacho has joined Villa on loan with an option to buy after a turbulent 18 months that saw him leave Manchester United and struggle at Chelsea.
The Argentina international's career has declined sharply since his breakthrough at United, where he scored vital goals and played alongside Cristiano Ronaldo. His Old Trafford exit followed a public falling out with manager Ruben Amorim after being left on the bench in the Europa League final, with weeks of social media activity further damaging his relationship with the club and its fans.
United sold Garnacho to Chelsea for £40 million, but he scored just one league goal in his first season at Stamford Bridge, and Chelsea fans soon turned on him. Seeking a fresh start, Garnacho has now joined Villa, where he is expected to fill the void left by Morgan Rogers, who Chelsea signed for £117 million.
Comparing Garnacho and Rogers
Rogers contributed to 17 goal involvements in the league last season, compared to Garnacho's five. However, Friedel believes Villa have not been shortchanged in the deal, citing Emery's ability to develop players.
Speaking exclusively to the Daily Star Sport via Football Betting, Friedel said: “I don’t think so here; for Aston Villa, it’s a case of working under the regulatory constraints and PSR and choosing the right time to cash in on a player.
“It’s important for clubs like Villa to balance the bookings when operating close to the levels they do. Plus, when you have a manager like Emery, who is so talented at keeping Aston Villa in and around the Champions League spots, he will know the type of player to bring in to add value to the squad.
Friedel's confidence in Emery
“So with Emery’s track record of working with players, Garnacho will be one player where Emery will work closely with to ensure he can play at his best.”
Garnacho has suffered a minor setback in the early days of his Villa career, missing the UEFA Super Cup against PSG due to concussion protocols. The eight-time Argentina international will look to rebuild his career under Emery, while Rogers could make his Chelsea debut this weekend against Real Sociedad following his extended break after the World Cup.
