“He still young but what he has done for this team, no other players including me has done close to that level… I’m learning alot from him”: Matthijs de Ligt says there’s ONE particular teammates who’s still young but has done what no other players has done for the Club so far
Alejandro Garnacho is becoming a star for Manchester United and he’s earning the right to don the club’s most famous number.
After Alejandro Garnacho’s man of the match performance against Barnsley, it is no longer avoidable that he is the main man now at Manchester United.
Two goals and two assists – albeit against a lower-league opponent – showed the complete nature of his game and he now boasts seven goal contributions in six games this season. This form from Garnacho has blown away the Argentine press, but the No.7 will still be something the 20-year-old feels is eluding him.
Mason Mount was handed the No.7 shirt upon his £55m arrival at Old Trafford and at the time, eyebrows were raised over the decision. Questions over Mount were raised before ultimately it was decided Garnacho probably was not ready anyway.
However, for Garnacho this will have made it no less painful to see his dreams of becoming the latest Manchester United No.7 evaporate. But now just over a year later, he now looks the part and could absolutely fill that famous shirt.
This is something few have done over the past two decades at United.
Alejandro Garnacho is earning No.7
The No.7 at Manchester United is arguably football’s most iconic and therefore heavy shirt to wear. This has meant numerous high-profile players have struggled under its burden.
Mount follows Alexis Sanchez, Memphis Depay, Angel Di Maria, Antonio Valencia and Michael Owen as players who never quite worked out with the No.7 – Valencia went on to be a solid club captain but not with No.7 on his back.
In fact, since Ronaldo joined the club in 2003 only he and Edinson Cavani have earned the right to have the shirt.
However, in Garnacho’s mind, he believes he can be the next Cristiano Ronaldo, Eric Cantona or David Beckham for the Red Devils and the way he has started this season shows he is earning the right to wear the number rather than it being handed to him.
Garnacho has the persona of a United No.7, he is confident and sure of his ability which is how a player must be to succeed with such a historic number.
Contrary to what so many players at United have done, Garnacho has been putting in the work for the number as opposed to being handed it for nothing. So if his 2024/25 season continues along the lines it started, United could be left with a decision to make.
