Man Utd Fans Notice Alejandro Garnacho Wearing New Number After Directive to 'Change'

Alejandro Garnacho, the Manchester United star, appears to have moved away from his tribute to Cristiano Ronaldo by changing his jersey number.

During Manchester United's promotion for their new kit ahead of the 2024/25 season, fans noticed a significant difference: instead of his usual number 17, which he had chosen to emulate Ronaldo’s first number at Sporting Lisbon, Garnacho was seen sporting number 6 on his shorts. However, number 6 is already assigned at Old Trafford to his Argentine teammate, Lisandro Martinez, making a swap between them unlikely for the upcoming season.

Last summer, at the age of 20, Garnacho proudly took on the number 17 following Fred's departure in 2023, having previously worn 49 when he first broke into the first team. Despite wearing number 17 for Argentina at this summer’s Copa America, where his admiration for Ronaldo has occasionally led to playful teasing from teammates, Garnacho seems to have pragmatically opted for a change at Manchester United.

Midfielder Leandro Paredes mentioned, "We teased him about it. He's quite shy and didn't respond much. We also talked to him about fitting in with the team and feeling comfortable. Ronaldo is his idol, he's always admired him and sees similarities in their play. It's normal, no big deal. Obviously, when he's with the national team, he may need to make some adjustments."

Regardless of his jersey number, Garnacho will undoubtedly aim to progress in the upcoming season. He netted six goals and contributed five assists during the 2022/23 campaign, and he improved upon those figures last season, scoring ten goals and providing five assists across all competitions.

Initially, there were concerns about his availability for the early weeks of the next season. Following Garnacho’s involvement in the Copa America, he seemed destined for inclusion in Argentina's squad for the upcoming Olympics in Paris this summer.

However, Manchester United are anticipated to reject Garnacho’s call-up. The striker held private discussions with Erik ten Hag to plead his case for departure, but it appears unlikely that he will join Javier Mascherano’s squad.