The internal division in the Manchester United locker room is more severe than expected. The conflict between Alejandro Garnacho (21, Manchester United) and head coach Ruben Amorim (40) is escalating.

The British football media 'Manchester Evening News' reported on the 28th (Korean time) that "after the UEFA Europa League final, the Manchester United locker room is divided," stating that in front of the Manchester United squad, coach Ruben Amorim was heard telling Alejandro Garnacho to "pray to find a new team." This is effectively seen as a dismissal.

The division in Manchester United is accelerating. They lost 0-1 to Tottenham Hotspur in the UEFA Europa League (UEL) final held on the 22nd in Bilbao, Spain, for the 2024-2025 season. As a result, Manchester United's chances of advancing to the next season's UEFA Champions League have been thwarted. Additionally, the league performance has been lackluster, further preventing progress in European competitions.

According to the British 'BBC', Manchester United's recent defeat is not just a simple runner-up finish. Financially, the loss is reported to be close to £100 million (approximately 186 billion won). The BBC pointed out that "whether or not they advance to the Champions League has a significant impact on Manchester United's overall financial structure." In fact, Manchester United has incurred cumulative losses of approximately 550 billion won over the past three years and has liabilities exceeding £1 billion (approximately 1.86 trillion won). Moreover, every time they fail to qualify for the UEFA Champions League, they have to pay £10 million (approximately 18.5 billion won) in penalty fees to Adidas and sponsors.

Financial expert Kieran Maguire analyzed that participating in the Champions League could generate up to £100 million in revenue. However, Manchester United lost 0-1 to Tottenham in the final, failing to qualify for the Champions League, which necessitated a complete overhaul of their rebuilding plans.

The British 'Sky Sports' also noted, "Manchester United may not be able to revamp their squad even by half of what they want or need this summer due to reduced financial influence. It is particularly concerning that Bruno has also acknowledged this," adding that "financial issues are certainly a major obstacle. But even beyond that, does Manchester United still have enough appeal to persuade players?"

Manchester United won their final match against Aston Villa 2-0, but the repercussions have not disappeared. While financial issues are a concern, the state of division in the locker room is serious. The conflict between Garnacho and Amorim has emerged most significantly. Coach Amorim chose Mason Mount as a starter for the final instead of Garnacho, who had been consistently used until the semifinals.

Garnacho participated in 58 official matches this season, scoring 11 goals and providing 10 assists. The problem lies in his playing time in crucial matches. Garnacho was not included in the starting lineup for the Europa League final against Tottenham on the 22nd and came on as a substitute in the second half.

Reports indicate that Garnacho's actions undermined the locker room discipline, which led to his exclusion from the starting lineup for the final. Nevertheless, Garnacho reportedly expressed his dissatisfaction publicly to coach Amorim after the match. When asked about Garnacho's use during a press conference, coach Amorim retaliated by asking, "Who missed the crucial chance in the semifinals?"

Furthermore, Garnacho openly expressed his discontent in an interview immediately after the Europa League final. In response, Amorim reacted fiercely. It is reported that coach Amorim held a full team meeting at the Carrington training ground last Saturday to formalize Garnacho's potential transfer. He reportedly admonished Garnacho in front of the squad.

Coach Amorim reportedly criticized Garnacho harshly, saying, "Is there a team that would take someone like you? (You won't have the opportunity to play here) So pray that such a team exists." It's fair to say that the relationship has escalated to an extreme.

[OSEN]