Gabby Agbonlahor has performed a dramatic U-turn on Alejandro Garnacho, now declaring he trusts "genius" Unai Emery to extract the best from the Argentine winger despite previously branding him a Manchester United and Chelsea "reject."
From Nightmare to Faith
Agbonlahor had described the prospect of Garnacho joining Aston Villa as a "nightmare" and brutally labelled him a "reject" from both Manchester United and Chelsea. However, now that the 22-year-old has arrived at Villa Park on a season-long loan from Chelsea, the former Villa striker is determined to be "positive" and have faith in Emery's coaching prowess.
"If there's ever a manager who can get extra out of a player, it's Unai Emery," Agbonlahor said on talkSPORT. "Last season, he tried with Sancho, it didn't work, he'll try again with Garnacho. We hear reports that he's been interested in him for a couple of years; maybe he sees something in Garnacho that I don't."
£43m Obligation to Buy
The deal includes a conditional obligation for Villa to buy Garnacho for a fee understood to be around £43 million, which will be triggered if he plays a certain number of matches in the new season. Agbonlahor acknowledged the risk but emphasised his trust in Emery. "Our manager is a genius, so I'll have to trust what he does. He's going to be an Aston Villa player, so I have to try and be positive because it is my football club."
Unproven at the Top Level
Despite his newfound optimism, Agbonlahor remains cautious about Garnacho's ability. "But what I've seen throughout his career, because I watch a lot of football for my job, I haven't seen a player who is at the level that Aston Villa need. But he's 22, he's not 28, 29, hopefully we haven't seen the best of Garnacho in his career."
Garnacho's arrival adds depth to Villa's attacking options as they prepare for a Champions League campaign. Emery has a track record of revitalising careers, and the club will be hoping he can unlock the potential that made Garnacho a sought-after talent at Manchester United before his move to Chelsea.
