After Alejandro Garnacho's move to Chelsea was completed on transfer deadline day, the Argentine was sent a firm message by one of his new team-mates
Alejandro Garnacho's new Chelsea team-mate Wesley Fofana has dropped a hint about what to expect in west London. Garnacho, 21, joined the Blues from Manchester United on transfer deadline day in a deal worth £40million.
The South American has been getting up to speed with Enzo Maresca's side in his first training sessions with the club. In a video uploaded to social media, Garnacho could be seen being worked hard in his first training session.
This may not be too surprising as the winger spent the entire pre-season training on his own at the Red Devils, after being sent out to United's so-called 'Bomb Squad' of players who were banished from the first team. There was no sympathy for Garnacho in west London, as could be seen in Fofana's cutting response to him.
During his first training session, Garnacho could be seen struggling for breath as he was put through his paces. The start of the clip shows him sitting down on the floor with his feet stretched out as a Chelsea coach says: "Take a stretch, have a breather, take your time!"
The next clip showed the United academy graduate, before he went on to shake his head, saying: "I can't move my legs now man. That sprint in the last one."
Watching his new team-mate struggle for breath, Fofana, who has had more than his fair share of injury problems at Stamford Bridge, said: "Welcome to Chelsea Football Club, eh."
The Frenchman's short, but serious message, highlighted to Garnacho he will need to work extremely hard, every day in training, if he is going to thrive in west London. He faces serious competition for places with the Blues, as he will be up against £52m summer signing Jamie Gittens, the dynamic Pedro Neto and Brazilian superstar Estevao Willian.
With Cole Palmer also primarily starring as a No. 10 and centre-forwards Liam Delap and Joao Pedro impressing while on the pitch with each other, Garnacho may also find himself in competition with the latter. He will have the international break to get up to speed in the capital, as Argentina chose not to call him up for their clashes against Venezuela and Ecuador.
He arrives at a bustling Stamford Bridge, which has seen the Blues start the Premier League campaign in positive fashion. A nervous 0-0 draw was followed by a 5-1 away demolition of West Ham, before the Blues edged their way past local rivals Fulham at Stamford Bridge.
The forward could make his debut when Chelsea travel to Brentford in their first match after the international break. Garnacho was also included in Chelsea's squad for the Champions League, which could see him face off against Bayern Munich in their first Champions League clash since the 2022-23 campaign.
He will then be champing at the bit for the Blues' next Premier League clash which will be a first return to Old Trafford and a reunion with United boss Ruben Amorim.