Man United’s Alejandro Garnacho facing huge international dilemma ahead of busy summer period | OneFootball

Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho is facing a huge dilemma ahead of this summer’s Copa America tournament and Olympic games.

Garnacho has really taken massive strides in his United career this season and is now undoubtedly one of the first names on Erik ten Hag’s team sheet.

The 19-year-old’s inclusion in the starting XI against Newcastle on Wednesday was his 36th consecutive start for United this term.

He is the outfield player who has managed the most minutes in the United team only after Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Dalot – such has been his importance to the side, especially during a campaign ravaged by injuries.

In 48 appearances across all competitions this season, Garnacho has plundered an impressive nine goals and five assists.

Yet according to Relevo, the forward’s exploits may still not be enough to earn him a place in Lionel Scaloni’s Argentina squad ahead of the Copa America tournament next month.

The publication notes that Garnacho still hasn’t decided whether he’ll make himself available to the Argentina u23s or the senior side captained by Lionel Messi.

The Carrington academy graduate’s preference is obviously to go to the Copa America but the Olympic games complicate matters for him. There is the option of Garnacho playing in both competitions but after a season in which he has been thoroughly utilized by United and Erik ten Hag, he has to manage his workload in order to keep fit ahead of the 2024/25 Premier League term.

Garnacho has already lined up for Argentina’s U-20s and the senior team but he is yet to play for the U-23s, who are managed by Javier Mascherano. It’s the U-23s that will compete in the Paris Olympic games.

Relevo explain, “Amidst all this we must add the intentions of the player, who will wait to hear the call for the Copa América to evaluate his summer plans. For Scaloni’s coaching staff and many people at AFA, Garnacho has to wait for his moment.”

“It is true that he is a player with very great potential and the Argentine Football Association trusts him a lot, but they also want to take him calmly and, ahead of him, there are players (world champions) like Lautaro, Julián Álvarez, Dybala, Di María or even Nicolás González.”

“Garnacho is still very young and will have to wait for his opportunity, but if he does not attend the Nort American event [Copa America] and is claimed by Mascherano, he will have to make a decision with his club.”

It’s important to note that the Olympic games – which start on July 24 and end on August 10 – fall outside of FIFA dates. As such, United would be under no obligation to release Garnacho to play for the Albiceleste’s U-23s.

Relevo point out that if United and Garnacho were to agree for him to play in the Olympics, the young winger would almost certainly miss the club’s pre-season tour and would only come back a week before the Premier League season officially kicks off.

In this scenario, the 20-time English champions would then need to give Garnacho a few days or weeks to rest before he links up with his teammates again – an unfathomable situation for both the Reds and the player.

All eyes are therefore on Scaloni and whether he calls up Garnacho to his Copa America squad.

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