Erik ten Hag believes Alejandro Garnacho has a “long way” to go to become world class but is adamant the Manchester United forward has the “X-factor” to achieve this status.
Garnacho is one of three United players, alongside Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus Højlund, ringfenced this summer by Ten Hag as not being up for sale given their importance to the club’s future. The 20-year-old scored 10 times last season in all competitions as he established himself in the first team but, according to his manager, still has work to do in order to achieve greatness in the game.
“You go very quickly [to put this] – world-class player: he has to go a long way,” said Ten Hag. “He has high potential, he showed last season he can contribute and be a starting player. To make the jump and become a world-class player it starts with very hard work. That brought him to where he is now and that will bring him to that world-class player, I agree he has the potential.
“Every club at the top needs players with the X-factor. We have already seen on occasions that he has shown the X-factor, so if you want to be that player that people are saying is world class then you have to do it consistently. He has that skill.”
Mainoo ended England’s Euro 2024 campaign as a first-choice player in Gareth Southgate’s side, starting the 2-1 final loss to Spain, having also starred in the semi-final victory over the Netherlands. Ten Hag believes this has accentuated his development.
“He collected such good experiences and those will help him to become a better player, 100%,” said the Dutchman. “Where do I see him? The perfect midfielder is one who is very good in attacking, very good in defending. He as a player can do that. He can play as an attacking midfielder and also as a holding midfielder.
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“We have to see from situation to situation and occasion to occasion who is available, the opponents, where we can hurt the opponent or take some strength from the opponent out, where we use the players.”
