Erik ten Hag’s warning to Alejandro Garnacho rings true amid Man Utd exit talk

When Alejandro Garnacho signed a five-year contract worth £50,000-a-week in May 2023, Erik ten Hag was quick to point out that his higher status in the Manchester United squad would lead to higher expectations.

Nineteen months later, the Argentine striker appears to be heading for an Old Trafford exit as part of Sir Jim Ratcliffe's 'if the price is right' strategy.

And Garnacho, despite last season's goal, has not quite taken the “final step” that Ten Hag mentioned at the time after signing his new contract.

His minutes have increased, but performances under Ten Hag and replacement Ruben Amorim have been inconsistent.

Serie A title challengers Napoli, coached by Antonio Conte, appear to be at the front of the queue to sign Garnacho this month, meaning he would join former teammate Scott McTominay.

But Ten Hag's statements at the time of the new contract, which runs until the summer of 2028, can be viewed in a different context.

“First of all, I think he has the prize and it is a prize,” said the Dutchman. “He also shows that he can make the final step – not only in terms of talent, but also: he has made it. But now it is a new start, a restart, because now the expectations will be higher, the demands will certainly be higher.

“He is on his way, he has a strong character and that is why he is at this level at this moment, and he has done it himself. But now there is more work to be done because the demands are higher, we expect more from him. But it's great that he made it because it says that we will give young players opportunities, but they have to earn them.

“When I say 'give', translate it to 'earn' and they have to earn with their feet, they have to show it on the field and that means you have to invest a lot and earn it by training performance, by performing in the under 21s, wait for your moment and prove it again.

“For Alejandro he is a step further, but now the demands will be even higher because he now has to compete for a starting place in eleventh. So every time is the same: you have to cross boundaries and every time you have to go to the next level. We join him in that challenge, but the most important thing is that the player has to do it.”