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Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag reportedly punished Alejandro Garnacho before the start of the season owing to the player's attitude problems.
In July, it was revealed that Ten Hag had dropped a player from a pre-season game due to their tardiness in training - a decision backed by David de Gea and Bruno Fernandes. The player in question was not mentioned.
Fernandes recently ended all doubts surrounding the identity of the aforementioned player. Speaking in an interview (h/t Mirror) after his team's 1-0 UEFA Europa League win against Real Sociedad on 3 November, he said:
"On the [pre-season] tour he [Garnacho] didn't have the best attitude that he should have had, and that's why he didn't get his chances until now. He's getting his chances because he's training better, having a different attitude and deserving his chances."
According to the Athletic, Garnacho leaving the training ground with his laces untied was another sign of his lack of professionalism. A stickler for discipline, Ten Hag did not take such instances lightly.
The Argentine winger was forced to wait until Manchester United's last pre-season game to get a chance under Ten Hag. He played 73 minutes in the Red Devils' 1-1 draw against Rayo Vallecano - a game made infamous by Cristiano Ronaldo's off-the-field antics.
The highly-rated 18-year-old has been handed eight appearances for the senior side this season across competitions. His most notable contribution came against Sociedad when he scored the only goal of the game after an assist from Ronaldo.
Erik ten Hag pleased with Manchester United youngster
Garnacho is in the final year of his contract at Old Trafford and could leave as a free agent next summer. He is one of the most promising youngsters in European football at the moment.
Hence, it is unlikely that Manchester United will let him leave without putting up a fight. That is if both Ten Hag and Garnacho are on the same page regarding the U20 Argentina international's renewal.
The young winger seems to have won the Dutchman over in recent weeks. Speaking after the 1-0 win against Sociedad, Ten Hag was full of praise for Garnacho. He said:
"He did well and I hope he can keep going in this process. He was reliable defending, he worked hard, he was a threat and he scored a goal so I am happy. If he can keep this process going, I'm really happy."
