2020 signing has now seen his value soar by 10,138%

For a brief moment it looked as if Manchester United had snatched victory at the death away to rivals Arsenal, as teenage starlet Alejandro Garnacho stepped off the bench to produce a simply clinical finish to quieten the home crowd.

Wearing the boots that his idol Cristiano Ronaldo had worn when terrorising the Gunners in that Champions League semi-final triumph in north London back in 2009, the 19-year-old appeared to have emulated his former teammate by stealing the headlines this time around, clinching what would have been a much-needed win for the Red Devils.

Alas, the tightest of offside calls ultimately cut the Argentine’s celebrations short as Erik ten Hag and co were left to reflect on what might have been had Casemiro’s pass been made a fraction earlier, or had the winger begun his run a split-second later.

As it is, that composed finish counted for nothing in the end, albeit while having yet again illustrated to those at Old Trafford just what a talent they have on their hands, with the club having truly hit the jackpot when signing the Madrid native back in the summer of 2020.

How much did Man United pay for Alejandro Garnacho?

The teen superstar was snapped up during Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s time in charge just under three years ago, with the then-Atletico Madrid youngster arriving alongside two other Spanish talents in the form of Real Madrid’s Alvaro Fernandez and Barcelona’s Marc Jurado.

Among that trio of deals, the latter man is no longer on the books at the Theatre of Dreams after signing for Espanyol this summer on a permanent deal, with elegant left-back, Fernandez has been sent out on loan to Granada, despite the injury crisis involving Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia.

As for Garnacho, the wing wizard – who cost a measly £420k at the time – has already established himself as a prominent figure in Ten Hag’s first team ranks, having chalked up 39 senior appearances since making his debut as a stoppage-time substitute at home to Chelsea back in April 2022.

It is fair to say that since making that move under Solskjaer’s watch the forward’s valuation has soared dramatically, with it hard to underestimate just what a bargain capture he was for the Red Devils.

What is Garnacho’s market value?

Not only was 5 foot 11 gem signed alongside Fernandez and Jurado, but he was also part of a summer influx that included the acquisitions of both Amad Diallo and Facundo Pellistri, with the pair joining from Atalanta and Penarol, respectively.

In the case of Amad, the Ivorian gem – who didn’t actually arrive in Manchester until January 2021 – has gone on to make just nine appearances for United following his £37m switch, with the 21-year-old currently valued at just €15m (£13m), according to CIES Football Observatory.

As for Pellistri, the diminutive winger was snapped up by Solskjaer and co from his native Uruguay on a £9m deal, although like the man above the 21-year-old’s impact has also been rather limited, having been restricted to just 12 first-team outings over the past three years.

That has ensured that the Montevideo-born speedster is now worth as little as €5m (£4m), with those two rather costly deals having paled in comparison to the low-cost addition of the sparkling Garnacho, who is now said to be worth €50m (£43m) – as per CIES.

Such a stellar figure represents an increase of roughly 10,138% since his move from Atleti, with that signing seemingly one of the few astute transfer moves that United have made in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era.

Why is Garnacho worth that much?

There may even be those of a United persuasion who believed that the £50k-per-week talent is worth even more than that £43m figure, particularly with the fleet-footed dynamo having only recently signed a new contract extension until the summer of 2028.

That bumper new deal had come amid reports that Real Madrid were sniffing around in the hope of prising the in-form ace from Old Trafford, with Los Blancos having previously captured Ronaldo from the club back in 2009.

Such interest in Garnacho’s talents has emerged due to his apparent likeness to the Portuguese icon, having been described as being like a “young Cristiano” by treble winner Paul Scholes after being handed his full senior debut against FC Sheriff in the Europa League last season.

That competitive first-team bow had come after the player had shone in academy ranks during the 2021/22 campaign, notably firing the club to a first success in the FA Youth Cup since 2011, after scoring seven times and providing just three assists in just six games in the competition.

The two-cap international was particularly instrumental in the showpiece victory over Nottingham Forest after scoring twice on the day in front of a record-breaking home crowd, having proved just why he is seemingly a man for the big occasion.

How many goals has Garnacho scored for Man United?

Described as a “full-back’s nightmare” by MUTV pundit Febian Brandy, Garnacho soon kicked on from that FA Youth Cup success despite enjoying little involvement during last season’s pre-season tour, having been punished by Ten Hag for being late to team meetings.

A stunning winner at the death in the EFL Trophy win over Barrow early last season seemingly illustrated that the dynamic menace was destined for a more a prominent role in the first-team, with that chance soon coming against the aforementioned Sheriff.

The teenager truly announced his arrival to the wider world just prior to the World Cup break back in November, however, having clinched victory for Ten Hag’s side in added time away to Fulham, latching onto Christian Eriksen’s threaded pass before calmly slotting home

That eye-catching burst and finish remains one of just five goals that Garnacho has scored to date, albeit with those efforts notably including a late winner in the FA Cup against West Ham United, as well as away to bitter rivals Leeds United at Elland Road.

The emerging Red Devils poster boy also provided the assist for Marcus Rashford’s clincher in the Manchester derby victory back in January and he currently has five assists in total from his 39 outings so far, indicating just what a weapon he can be from the flanks.

Of course, the next step is for Garnacho to establish himself as regular fixture in the starting XI, although it would be no surprise if that promotion was to occur sooner rather than later, thus helping to bolster his already sizeable market value.