Erik ten Hag's warning to Alejandro Garnacho rings true amid Man Utd exit talk

When Alejandro Garnacho signed a five-year contract worth £50,000 per week in May 2023, Erik ten Hag was quick to point out that his higher status in Manchester United’s squad would lead to increased expectation.

Nineteen months on the Argentina attacker appears to be heading for the exit at Old Trafford as part of Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s if-the-price-is-right strategy.

And Garnacho, despite scoring the goal of last season, has not quite made what Ten Hag said at the time was the “final step” after penning his new deal.

His minutes have increased but the output, under Ten Hag and replacement Ruben Amorim, has been inconsistent.

Napoli, the Serie A title challengers coached by Antonio Conte, appear to be at the front of the queue to sign Garnacho this month - meaning he would link up with former team-mate Scott McTominay.

But Ten Hag’s comments at the time of the new deal, which run until the summer of 2028, can be viewed in a different context.

“First of all, I think he has the prize and it’s a prize,” the Dutchman said. “He also shows he can make the final step – not only in talent but also, he made it. But now it’s a new start, a restart, because now the expectations will be higher, the demands definitely will be higher.

“He is on his way, he is a strong character and that’s why he’s there in the moment on this level, and he did it by himself. But now is coming more work to go because the demands are higher, we expect more from him. But it’s great he made it because it tells we will give young players opportunities, but they have to deserve it.

“When I say ‘give’, translate it to ‘deserve’ and they have to deserve with their feet, they have to show it on the pitch and that means you have to invest a lot and deserve it by training performances, by performance in the under-21s, then wait for your moment and prove it again.

“For Alejandro, he is that step beyond but now the demands will be even more because he has now to compete for a starting XI position. So, every time is the same: you have to cross limits and every time you have to go in the next level. We go with him in that challenge but most important is the player has to do it.”