Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim raised eyebrows by leaving Alejandro Garnacho and Andre Onana out of the squad for the final Premier League match of the 2024–25 season against Aston Villa, fueling speculation about the futures of both players. After the match, Amorim addressed the situation, offering key updates.
Questions about Garnacho and Onana’s long-term roles at United have lingered for months. Garnacho, in particular, was linked with a possible move in January, and his reduced playing time in recent weeks has only added to the uncertainty.
Following United’s Europa League final defeat to Tottenham on Wednesday, Garnacho spoke candidly about his status with the club: “Until we reached the final, I played in every round. And today I played twenty minutes. I don’t know, I’m going to enjoy the summer and we’ll see what happens after.” The comments intensified speculation, with The Athletic’s David Ornstein reporting that Amorim told Garnacho in Saturday’s training session to begin looking for a new club.
Onana, meanwhile, has endured a turbulent campaign marked by costly errors, including in the Europa League final. His inconsistency has sparked renewed scrutiny over whether he remains United’s long-term solution in goal.
Amorim clarifies Garnacho and Onana decisions
After the squad list was published, Ruben Amorim was constantly asked about Garnacho. In the pre-match interview with TNT Sports, he was asked whether fans have seen the last of him in a Manchester United shirt, and the coach was straight about it:
“No, Garnacho is a Manchester United player that is not in the squad today, but he continues to be a Manchester United player.” Amorim also confirmed that Garnacho will participate in the club’s post-season tour of Asia: “Everybody’s going because we have to go to meet our fans, and to give something to our fans in the other sides of the world.”
Later, in his post-match press conference, Amorim elaborated on the reasoning behind both absences, drawing a distinction between the two players: “Onana (being left out) was for Altay (Bayindir) to have this experience. The goalkeepers nowadays need space to play and to feel important, because we need three goalkeepers ready to play, specially when you have a lot of competition.”
As for Garnacho, Amorim reaffirmed his standing with the club. “And then Garnacho is a Manchester United player. He wasn’t in the squad today, but he’s a player in our club, and I have no news that the situation will change today,” he ended.
Despite being omitted from the matchday squad, both Garnacho and Onana took the pitch after the game to join Amorim’s post-match address to fans, moment when Amorim delivered an apology to his players: “Sometimes I wasn’t fair, but I always tried to be honest with you guys.”
With the season now complete, United are expected to begin a major rebuild. Whether Garnacho and Onana will remain part of Amorim’s project remains to be seen.
