Former Chelsea defender warns club over new signing

Former Chelsea defender William Gallas is worried that Alejandro Garnacho does not have the right mentality to succeed at Stamford Bridge.

The Argentine winger arrived from Manchester United late in the transfer window for a fee of around £40 million, and there have been questions about his attitude after his time at Old Trafford.

Garnacho was dropped briefly during Ruben Amorim’s tenure after his arrival at the club in late 2024, and was reportedly told to find a new club shortly after their Europa League final defeat to Tottenham last season.

The 21-year-old then inflamed the situation when he wore an Aston Villa top with Marcus Rashford’s name on, while on holiday, and it was widely expected he would depart.

After such a fractious period, Garnacho now has the chance to relaunch his career and fulfil his undoubted potential.

Is William Gallas convinced Garnacho will make it at Chelsea?

However, speaking to Gambling Zone, Gallas was far from certain if he would adjust without some time, and potentially some hurdles.

He said: “After such a long wait for the move, and the trouble he had at Manchester United, I’m not sure anyone can say for sure what is going to happen and whether or not this will be a successful signing for Chelsea.

“But what we all know is that Alejandro Garnacho will want to show on the pitch that he wants to succeed for Chelsea. He will want to win his place in the starting XI. Everyone is happy when they sign for Chelsea, but clearly nobody is guaranteed a starting spot.

“If he has that desire, that will benefit the whole squad, his energy will be contagious. In the middle of the season, when it gets to December, then we will see how he’s getting on.”

“Your head can drop if you’re not playing enough, or the weather is grim. It’s harder to keep your performance levels up and his energy could drop.”

What the Argentinian forward needs to do to get in Chelsea’s 1st XI

Gallas concluded by saying the least that the young forward has to do is match his best form under previous United manager, Erik ten Hag, when he was a key player for the club.

He explained: “What we should expect from Garnacho is that even if he’s not starting every game, he has to play like he did when he first made his name at United. 

“He was scoring goals, he was the main man on the wing. Slowly he dropped off, and we don’t really know why. That’s why there’s a question mark hanging over him.”