Man Utd: £50k-a-week star 'excited' to replace Ronaldo at Old Trafford | OneFootball

Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho’s status in Erik ten Hag’s squad could now be “elevated” after Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure from Old Trafford earlier this month, according to journalist Dean Jones.

The youngster has been given some senior game time under the Dutch manager this season and will be hoping to kick on when Premier League football resumes.

What’s the latest on Garnacho?

Garnacho had gone into the World Cup break in good form having scored his first Premier League goal in United’s last game before the lay-off, which turned out to be a last-minute winner in a 2-1 victory at Fulham.

The 18-year-old has been named the club’s player of the month for November, having scored the aforementioned winner in the Premier League, as well as a Europa League goal at Real Sociedad earlier in the month.

The exciting talent was given his Red Devils debut by former head coach Ralf Rangnick, in last season’s Premier League 1-1 home draw with Chelsea, but it is under ten Hag where he has really been given his chance to shine in the first team.

And Jones believes that Ronaldo’s termination of contract at Old Trafford could mean that Garnacho could be set to play a bigger role in the United squad this term.

What has Jones said about Garnacho?

Jones told GIVEMESPORT: “I think Garnacho is the one that will be most excited about how his status can now be elevated within the squad.

“When play resumes, I really expect him to be relishing the prospect of getting a run in this team.”

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What next for Garnacho?

Despite Garnacho’s impressive form for Manchester United over recent weeks, the young starlet was left out of Argentina’s squad for the 2022 World Cup, with the winger liking a post on social media suggesting that he wasn’t selected for the national team because he’s Spanish.

However, with Ronaldo gone the potential superstar will now need to knuckle down and try and secure a regular spot in ten Hag’s Premier League starting XI, with the Madrid-born winger likely feeling that there is a genuine chance he could make a breakthrough in the Old Trafford side.

According to the Daily Star, United are interested in both increasing and extending Garnacho’s contract with the Red Devils, with the winger set to earn around £50k-per-week instead of his current £5k-per-week deal which expires in the summer of 2024.

A new deal suggests how highly both ten Hag and the club think of Garnacho, and with Ronaldo now gone, there’s potentially a space for another superstar to emerge at Old Trafford in the coming years.