Ex-United standout speaks on loyalties following Chelsea switch

Since completing his switch to Stamford Bridge, Garnacho has revealed that despite coming through United’s academy as a teenager, his early loyalties actually sat elsewhere. 

The 21-year-old admitted he grew up supporting Chelsea, inspired by club legend Eden Hazard, whose brilliance lit up west London in the 2010s.

"I used to watch the Premier League when I was young,” said Garnacho, via Sky Sports. “I liked Eden Hazard, that's why I supported Chelsea as a kid. He was a reference, how he plays. We played the same position."

"It's a big step. The situation of the club is a good step for me and my career.

Garnacho leaves Old Trafford after scoring 11 goals in 58 appearances last season and amassing 144 senior outings overall. For the winger, the move represents both a professional leap and a personal milestone. 

It offers the opportunity to follow in Hazard’s footsteps while beginning a new chapter alongside Argentina teammate Enzo Fernandez at Stamford Bridge.

His transfer also reflects a broader trend that shaped this summer’s window, the rise of player power. Garnacho made clear his preference for Chelsea and is understood to have rejected approaches from elsewhere.

Other players took a more confrontational approach. Newcastle striker Alexander Isak refused to train and accused the club of breaking promises before forcing through a record £130M ($173.9M) move to Liverpool. 

At Brentford, Yoane Wissa turned to social media to push for a switch to Newcastle, which was later completed in a £55M ($73.5M) deal, even removing references to the club from his profiles.

Such tactics mirror trends already common in other sports, particularly the NBA, where stars use public pressure to engineer moves. Critics argue it risks damaging reputations and destabilizing clubs, while others believe it is a necessary counterweight to long contracts and club control.

Not all exits were fraught. Eberechi Eze’s composed departure from Crystal Palace to Arsenal was held up as a model of professionalism. Garnacho’s move lacked the same drama as Isak and Wissa, but it remains emblematic of an era in which players are increasingly determined to dictate their own paths.