Why Nkunku-Garnacho Swap Deal May Not Happen

A potential swap deal between Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho and Chelsea’s Christopher Nkunku in the January transfer window is looking unlikely due to financial demands and internal priorities at both clubs.

Chelsea’s Nkunku has caught the attention of Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim, who is keen to strengthen his attack, especially with expected departures from his squad, including Marcus Rashford and Garnacho. However, Chelsea are reportedly unwilling to let Nkunku go for less than £70 million, after they paid £50.5 million for him in the summer of 2023. Despite interest from Bayern Munich, a move to Germany is expected to happen in the summer rather than January.

Meanwhile, Garnacho has also been linked with a move away from Manchester United due to financial fair play concerns at the club. The 19-year-old Argentine winger has attracted interest from Chelsea and Serie A side Napoli, with some reports suggesting United have lowered their asking price for him to £55 million.

Although Garnacho has shown great potential, he has struggled to secure a consistent starting spot under Amorim, failing to fit into his preferred 3-4-3 formation. After falling out of favour earlier in the season, the winger has since regained the manager’s trust with strong performances, including his contribution in United’s 2-1 Europa League win over Rangers.

Given the financial and tactical challenges at both clubs, a swap deal involving Nkunku and Garnacho seems unlikely to happen this January.