Man Utd wasted £72m on “awful” flop who earned 5x more than Garnacho does

If Manchester United are to take something away from the turbulent post-Sir Alex Ferguson period, it ought to be that usually the very best plan of action is to advertise from inside, quite than investing closely within the switch market.

In reality, excluding the presence of Bruno Fernandes – who boasts 150 targets and assists for the membership – the most important shining lights of the final decade or so have been academy graduates, quite than high-profile incomings.

Certainly, Marcus Rashford has dazzled – inconsistently at occasions – ever since his debut brace in opposition to FC Midtjylland again in February 2016, whereas even Scott McTominay emerged as an actual power previous to his summer season exit, having netted ten occasions in all competitions final season.

Erik ten Hag’s time on the helm has notably coincided with the rise of each Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho, with the younger pairing having poetically confirmed the distinction in Could’s FA Cup closing conquer Manchester Metropolis.

Whereas Mainoo has endured a sticky begin to the brand new season after being struck down by damage previous to the worldwide break, Garnacho continues to steal the limelight…

Garnacho’s Man Utd document

Though not precisely a ‘homegrown’ expertise within the eyes of some – having been signed from Atletico Madrid as a 16-year-old again in 2020 – the Spain-born, Argentina worldwide has blossomed from youth sensation into first-team hero in recent times.

The star of United’s FA Youth Cup success in 2022, after netting a brace within the closing, the wing wizard has loved a comparatively clean transition to life within the senior set-up, even shaking off preliminary considerations concerning his angle.

Ever since scoring his first objective for the membership away to Actual Sociedad in November 2022, the teenager hasn’t appeared again, now boasting 33 targets and assists in 99 video games in all competitions.

That features a return of eight objective involvements in 13 video games already in 2024/25, with it no shock that Ten Hag lauded him as his facet’s “greatest participant” earlier this month.

Nonetheless solely 20, the speedy sensation – who reportedly earns ‘simply’ £50k-per-week at Previous Trafford – is already one of the vital profitable Argentines to have turned out for the membership, in stark distinction to the expensive seize of 1 notable compatriot, Angel Di Maria.

Angel Di Maria’s complete price to Man Utd

It says so much that arguably Di Maria’s most memorable second on the Theatre of Desires got here in a Paris Saint-Germain shirt, having been despatched flying into the promoting hoardings courtesy of a ‘form’ nudge from former teammate, Ashley Younger.

There was in fact that pleasant dink in opposition to Leicester Metropolis – which got here amid a haul of 15 objective involvements in complete in 2014/15 – but such moments of magic had been few and much between, with each events having been eager to separate as quickly as attainable on the finish of that debut season.

On the face of it, the preliminary seize of the Actual Madrid star had appeared one thing of a coup, with then-United chief Ed Woodward forking out roughly £59.7m to land a participant who had claimed the Man of the Match award within the Champions League closing just some months prior.

That marquee transfer – which noticed Di Maria handed the membership’s famed quantity seven shirt – in the end tumbled towards catastrophe, with membership legend Gary Neville later dubbing the playmaker an “terrible” signing for the membership.

Though he solely lasted a solitary season in Manchester earlier than sealing a £44.3m change to Paris, what didn’t assist issues was the hefty wage that the present Benfica man was additionally raking in on the time, having taken house a £250k-per-week wage – understanding to £13m a yr.

Not solely is that 5 occasions greater than what younger Garnacho is incomes within the current day, but it surely additionally ensures that Di Maria price roughly £72m in complete, when combining his preliminary switch price and complete pay packet.

A very costly mistake then for Woodward and co, with the participant later admitting that he had by no means truly wished to signal within the first place, having outlined that his “intention was at all times to remain at Actual Madrid”.

Maybe – so far as United are involved – he ought to effectively have stayed put on the Bernabeu, quite than linking up with the “worst coach of [his] profession” in Louis van Gaal, with the addition of the World Cup winner actually one among many expensive errors of the final ten years or so.

Fortunately, the membership now do have an Argentine expertise value his salt, within the type of the game-changer Garnacho.