Garnacho to follow Rashford out of Man Utd? Predicting a player per PL club to seek a 'new challenge'

Marcus Rashford wants out of Manchester United and while that’s obviously fine, most people – including his manager Ruben Amorim – would have chosen a different method of breaking the news, just as most journalists would have led with that bombshell over Rashford’s return to his primary school to deliver Christmas presents. Each to their own, we guess.

He probably should have left a while ago in truth and his relationship with his boyhood club has become increasingly strained to the point, even before his comments earlier this week, where it felt as though there was no way back for him.

It’s got us wondering which other players are in a similar position to Rashford at their clubs, not necessarily feeling sidelined or unloved as he is, but at a point where they feel the need for a “new challenge”.

We’ve come up with the most likely candidate from every Premier League club to pull a Rashford and announce their desire to leave ahead of the January transfer window.

Arsenal: Jakub Kiwior

Multiple reports claim he wants to leave, there’s too smoke for there to be no fire and him breaking ranks to make plain that wish would be the least surprising of any player on this list. After what Jean-Philippe Mateta did to him on Wednesday we can’t imagine a single Arsenal fan would give a shiny sh*t.

Aston Villa: Jhon Duran

A mercurial and fascinating human being who’s actually managed to usurp Ollie Watkins to start the last two Premier League games owing to his brilliant form this season that’s seen him score 11 goals in all competitions at an extraordinary rate of one of every 78 minutes.

There’s a volatility about him though, which makes him hugely entertaining, but also means it feels as though he’s a moment away from doing something utterly mad that will lead to a complete breakdown in his relationship with Unai Emery, from which there will be no return.

Bournemouth: Milos Kerkez

Word will have reached him about interest from Liverpool and Manchester United, and we can absolutely see a situation where Andoni Iraola insists on Kerkez saying he wants to leave for them to enter talks with his suitors.

Brentford: Bryan Mbeumo

Same story as Kerkez. If Newcastle, Aston Villa or even bigger clubs come calling, Mbeumo may feel the need to push Brentford to the negotiating table. Christ, football is grim.

Brighton: Julio Enciso

Looked destined to be another big profit sale for Brighton not all that long ago, but injuries have been a big problem and now he’s back he’s not getting anywhere near enough game time under Fabian Hurzeler, who doesn’t fancy him for some reason.

One of the players on this list we hope does ask to leave as we would love to see him playing football.

Chelsea: Christopher Nkunku

Must really grind his gears that he was consistently talked about last season as Chelsea’s best finisher while injured amid their profligacy under Mauricio Pochettino, and now he’s fit he can’t get in the team because Nicolas Jackson apparently became a mixture of Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka over the summer.

Nkunku will still feel he is Chelsea’s best finisher – and not unreasonably given he’s scored 12 goals to Jackson’s nine, albeit mainly through running past painters and builders in the Conference League – and want to be playing regularly for a top side.

Crystal Palace: Cheick Doucoure

Earned huge plaudits in his debut campaign at Selhurst Park before injury kept him out for the majority of last season, and he now can’t get himself back in the team on regular basis.

Everton: Beto

Must be wondering why he signed for Everton in the first place, but that’s a two-way street.

Fulham: Rodrigo Muniz

After nine goals in the final 16 games of last season he probably felt pretty assured of his spot and –like the rest of us – can’t have foreseen the return to form of Raul Jimenez, who is now very much the main man up top ahead of the Brazilian.

Ipswich: Kalvin Phillips

Part of us feels sorry for Kalvin Phillips but a bigger part finds his progress down through the football pyramid from Manchester City in a bid to find a football club that will actually play him fascinating. We can’t imagine his search for a “new challenge” would yield any interest above a mid-table Championship side by this point.

Leicester: Hamza Choudhury

No idea how Choudhury is 27 years old, but he probably doesn’t want to spending his prime years watching from the sidelines.

Liverpool: Trent Alexander-Arnold

Obviously not going to leave in January when his contract expires in the summer but we could see some sort of Jurgen Klopp-like announcement, rather more prepared and official than Rashford’s no doubt, ahead of a big send-off at the end of the season. He will want to leave for Real Madrid In The Right Way.

Manchester City: Jack Grealish

Says all you need to know about Grealish’s standing at Manchester City that he can’t get a game when they’re this rotten. His displays for England earlier this season proved he’s got plenty of The Old Jack left to delight us elsewhere.

Manchester United: Alejandro Garnacho

While we get the fans’ obsession with Garnacho as they search for anything half decent about Manchester United, the love of a player with 23 goals and 12 assists in 111 appearances was wildly over the top.

The tide of public opinion appears to have turned somewhat in recent weeks, unfairly with regard to his supposed role in team leaks, but not when it comes to the subpar performances that led Ruben Amorim to drop him for the Manchester derby.

We could see a similar slap on the wrist from Amorim leading to an ill-advised and not all that cryptic Instagram post to speed the exit from the club for a footballer constantly on the verge of a tantrum.

READ MORE: Rashford to Arsenal, Garnacho to Atletico? Six potential 2025 Man Utd sales to fund Amorim rebuild

Newcastle: Bruno Guimaraes

He loves Newcastle, the Newcastle fans love him yadda yadda yadda, but if Pep Guardiola decides he’s the guy he wants at the base of midfield for the rest of the season then he’s going to Manchester City.

Nottingham Forest: Taiwo Awoniyi

Can’t be easy being usurped by a guy he was clear of last season, and to such an extent that any time Awoniyi is on the pitch instead of Chris Wood the fans give them little hope of scoring or getting anything from a game. They’ve lost both of the games the Nigerian has started this season.

READ MORE: Chelsea dominate top ten most improved PL players thanks to manager of the season Enzo Maresca

Southampton: Tyler Dibling

Actually good at football and therefore too good for Southampton.

Tottenham: Cristian Romero

He’s already called out Daniel Levy and if he’s not aware that the longer he plays as a centre-back under Ange Postecoglou the more likely Real Madrid are going to go off him then he should be.

West Ham: Mohammed Kudus

A huge coup for West Ham when they signed him and Kudus will have known that. Rumours of an exit have hardly let up since and if Arsenal, Liverpool or whoever else solidify their interest we can’t imagine the Ghanaian will have any problem voicing his desire to leave.

Wolves: Matheus Cunha

He remains a hugely enticing prospect for big teams despite his playground bullying antics and there’s no chance – despite Vitor Pereira replacing Gary O’Neil – that Wolves can match his quality and ambition.

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