24 June 2023 , 16:42
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Alejandro Garnacho's brother has sparked huge excitement among sections of Manchester United's fanbase after hinting on Twitter that the Red Devils youngster may about to become the club's new number seven.
The Argentine only made his first appearance for the club just over a year ago, but it now looks like Garnacho is about to be entrusted with the most iconic number in United history, as per the Manchester Evening News. Those at the top of the club hierarchy are seriously mulling over whether to reward the winger for his efforts with the shirt.
Over the course of the season just gone, Garnacho made 34 appearances at senior level across all competitions. In that same period, he managed to net six goals and register six assists, playing his way into the hearts of the Old Trafford faithful in the process.
No United player has donned the shirt number since the controversial departure of Cristiano Ronaldo at the back end of last year. If Garnacho is to be given the new squad number, he'll become the first teenager to be entrusted with it since Ronaldo during his first spell at the club two decades ago.
His brother's Twitter activity seems to suggest that is a real possibility. Roberto Garnacho uploaded an edit that showed his sibling wearing the United shirt with the number seven on the back, rather than his actual number 47.
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Previous occupants also include Antonio Valencia and the less successful Angel Di Maria, who lasted just one season in it before leaving for Paris Saint-Germain.
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If Garnacho is to wear it next term, it would serve as quite the shock considering Jadon Sancho is rumoured to have been promised the seven shirt twice before.
The first time came when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was still at the helm and was trying to persuade Sancho to leave Borussia Dortmund for United back in 2020.
The Norwegian is alleged to have used the number seven as a potential bargaining chip, but he ended up staying in Germany for another year.
A year later, when Sancho did actually arrive, he was forced to take the number 25 as former team-mate Edinson Cavani was unwilling to swap. It must be noted, the Uruguayan international did hand it over when Ronaldo returned.
Sancho looks likely to miss out again at the hands of talented teen Garnacho, who is clearly very highly thought of by those running the show at United.
So much so that he has also been handed a new deal that ties him to Old Trafford until the summer of 2026.