According to a report by Football.london on Thursday October 22, 2026, Alejandro Garnacho could have ended up in Germany rather than at Chelsea.

Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has revealed that he urged the winger to join Bayer Leverkusen last year, but Garnacho chose to stay in England.

Chelsea eventually signed the Argentine from United for £40 million, giving him a seven-year contract. Ten Hag, who had worked with Garnacho at Old Trafford, said he had tried to persuade him to make the move to Leverkusen.

“I regret where he is now,” Ten Hag told The Athletic. “I told him, ‘Come to Leverkusen.’ But luckily, he didn’t. He wanted to stay in England.”

Ten Hag described Garnacho as a gifted player who needs trust and clear guidance. He praised the winger’s stamina, speed and ability to beat defenders, while noting that focus and defensive discipline are areas he must manage.

Garnacho’s time at Chelsea, however, did not go as hoped. He scored eight goals and provided four assists in 43 appearances, but struggled to meet expectations. Deemed surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge, he joined Aston Villa on loan.

Villa are expected to sign him permanently for a reported £42.5 million if the conditions in the loan agreement are met. Unai Emery was said to have personally requested the winger after Morgan Rogers moved to Chelsea.

So far, Garnacho has found opportunities limited at Villa. He has made just three Premier League appearances, all from the bench, and had a brief outing in the Champions League against Fenerbahce. He was also left out of the squad for the weekend trip to Newcastle.

A move to Leverkusen might have changed the course of Garnacho’s career. Instead, he is now trying to revive his season at Villa after a difficult spell at Chelsea.