Man Utd hit a bargain when they signed Alejandro Garnacho from Atletico Madrid in 2020.
Manchester United paid Alejandro Garnacho 80 times less than Chelsea spent on the cheapest signing this season. The Red Devils landed a bargain by snapping up then 16-year-old Garnacho from Atletico Madrid in 2020.
Argentinian prodigy Garnacho was signed with just £100,000 in compensation when he arrived at Old Trafford. United were able to sign the striker for such a small fee as he is yet to sign a professional contract with the La Liga side. United's stunning deal for the 18-year-old is highlighted by Chelsea's lavish spending during the 2022-23 campaign. The Blues have spent around £600 million since Todd Boehly's consortium completed a £4.25 billion acquisition in May 2022.
Even the lowest fee Chelsea paid for a player last season was 80 times what United paid Garnacho. That's £8m paid to teenage goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina, who hails from the Chicago Fire on the MLS side.
Manchester City vs Manchester United:
Emirates FA Cup Final
Alejandro Garnacho is the key star of Man Utd season 2022-23 (Image:
Getty)
Slonina was signed by Chelsea last summer but has spent the remainder of the 2022 MLS season on loan at his former club. The 19-year-old has since moved to Stamford Bridge, playing eight times in the Premier League 2 for Chelsea Under-21s.
The saver is one of 15 to come to Chelsea since Boehly became a co-owner with business partner Behdad Eghbali. Slonina has not even been able to play as a substitute for the main squad.
So he hasn't had quite the impact on senior football like Garnacho in 2022-23. In a stunning breakout campaign, the Argentina Under-21 international has scored five goals in 34 appearances in all competitions. After a slow start to the campaign under Erik ten Hag, in which he was criticized by both coach and vice-captain Bruno Fernandes, Garnacho began to flourish in the weeks leading up to the World Cup break. He used the international window to learn Ten Hag's system - and ultimately the key player in the final months of the season.
Chelsea U21 v Brighton & Hove Albion U21 - Premier League 2
Chelsea's £8m deal for Gabriel Slonina was their cheapest signing last season (Image:
Getty)
A crucial last-minute goal against Wolves almost secured United's place in the top four. Then he was unlucky not to start in Saturday's FA Cup final defeat to rivals Manchester. City, instead, he substituted for Christian Eriksen early in the second half.
Garnacho - whose £100,000 fee is reported by The Athletic - had an almost immediate impact at Wembley. Shortly after Ilkay Gundogan made it 2-1, the United academy graduate cut in from the left and delivered a stunning save a few inches from the post.
It's proof that Garnacho is highly rated at Old Trafford. After signing a five-year contract extension in April, the sky seems to be the limit for one of the Premier League's brightest prospects.
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