Aston Villa endured a major squad overhaul during the summer, losing a host of important players as Unai Emery was forced to rebuild.
Morgan Rogers joined Chelsea, Ollie Watkins moved to Al Hilal, Ezri Konsa signed for Arsenal, Youri Tielemans switched to Manchester United and Lucas Digne departed for Paris Saint-Germain, among others.
Villa’s start to the new campaign has reflected that upheaval, with Emery’s side struggling for consistency while several new arrivals have taken time to settle.
One of those signings was brought in to help fill the void left by Rogers, but his difficult beginning at Villa Park has now raised questions over his future.
Garnacho Set to Stay at Villa
Alejandro Garnacho is unlikely to simply return to Chelsea in January despite his lack of playing time at Aston Villa, with the details of his loan agreement making an early exit more complicated than expected.
The 22-year-old moved to Villa from Chelsea in July on a season-long loan which contains a conditional obligation to buy. However, according to The Telegraph, neither club has a unilateral clause allowing the arrangement to be terminated midway through the campaign.
Any early return would therefore require Chelsea and Villa to reach an agreement, rather than either side being able to recall or send back the forward independently.
Garnacho has struggled to establish himself under Emery so far. He is yet to start a game and has managed only around half an hour of Premier League football across three substitute appearances, while he has been left out entirely of Villa’s last four matches.
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The Argentine’s current situation is particularly notable given the expectations surrounding his arrival. Villa saw his pace and direct style as qualities that could help compensate for the departure of Rogers, but he has so far been unable to secure a regular place.
Former Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior has previously praised Garnacho’s “unselfish” qualities, but the forward will now need to demonstrate those attributes on the pitch if he is to force his way into Emery’s plans.
The loan also contains a conditional obligation to buy believed to be worth around £40m, although the exact conditions that would trigger the permanent transfer have not been revealed.
That creates an intriguing situation for all three parties. Chelsea cannot simply recall Garnacho if his lack of minutes continues, while Villa cannot walk away from the agreement by themselves.
For now, the clearest route for Garnacho is to win Emery over. A strong run of performances could quickly change his situation, but if he remains on the fringes heading towards January, discussions between Chelsea and Villa may become increasingly important.
