Unai Emery has told Alejandro Garnacho he must be patient for his chance at Aston Villa. The manager confirmed the winger is currently behind other options in the squad after a disrupted pre-season.
Garnacho joined Villa on a season-long loan from Chelsea in the summer of 2025, having previously left Manchester United. He has featured only three times from the bench in the Premier League so far and was an unused substitute in Wednesday's 3-1 Carabao Cup win at Coventry City, a result that followed a difficult league start which has left Villa 19th with just one point from four games.
"Continue working. Work, work, train, work," Emery said when asked about the 21-year-old's situation. "When he can have minutes to play, try and play well. He is progressing, but we have players in front of him now."
Emery explained that Garnacho's integration has been slower than planned. "He is a little bit behind because of some circumstances we had in pre-season," the manager stated. "We want him at the same level he was for Chelsea in the first part of last season and in Manchester two years ago."
The Spaniard emphasised his long-term view of the player, adding that he wants to retain Garnacho at Villa Park for a significant period. For now, others are seizing their opportunities. Emery pointed to the performances of George Hemmings, who provided an assist in the win at Coventry, and Ibrahim Mbaye, who also set up a goal in that match, as examples of players responding well.
With a key away match against Tottenham next, Villa will be looking to build on their cup success. The full schedule of upcoming fixtures is available on our fixtures page. Emery's squad continues to deal with several absences, including Pau Torres and Leon Goretzka, with the latest injuries list showing five players currently sidelined.
This story first appeared at Daily Mirror Football
