Alejandro Garnacho concern grows as 'agreed replacement' makes up Man Utd's mind

Alejandro Garnacho may be increasingly concerned ahead of next season after being outshone in Manchester United’s 4-0 defeat at Crystal Palace on Monday night. Michael Olise is reportedly a priority target for the first summer transfer window of Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s project, and he cemented his name near the top of his wishlist at Selhurst Park.

The 22-year-old winger terrorised United’s weakened left side all game, opening and ending the scoring between Jean-Philippe Mateta and Tyrick Mitchell’s strikes on a historic night for Palace.

According to reports, the Red Devils are leading the race for his signature this summer and don’t believe no Champions League football will deter their efforts.

Olise was available for just £35million last summer, but he rejected the chance to join Chelsea, instead signing a new Palace contract with an increased release clause.

He is expected to cost around £60m once that clause activates at the end of the season, and his performance against United will have convinced the club to trigger it sooner rather than later.

Even before the non-contest orchestrated by Oliver Glasner, reports claimed club figures had agreed on making Olise one of the first signings of the INEOS era.

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Garnacho has made the right-wing position his own this term, leapfrogging £86m flop Antony in Erik ten Hag’s pecking order.

But he was emphatically outshone on his 36th consecutive United start in South London, and Ratcliffe sanctioning a hefty fee on Olise wouldn’t be with the view of using him as a squad option.

Garnacho is a natural left winger and has enjoyed a better season than Marcus Rashford, so perhaps the Frenchman’s arrival would place the struggling £315,000-a-week star under more risk than the former.

But in truth, none of United’s misfiring forwards will be safe for much longer if they continue to play at a mediocre level under Ratcliffe’s ruthless new regime.

Since becoming co-owner in February, the INEOS kingpin has proven with sweeping off-field changes that he is ready to rock the boat to wake United from their decade-long slumber.

A new chief executive, sporting director, technical director, and likely manager will be in place next season in an attempt to restore a winning culture and the club’s reputation as the world’s best.

That will undoubtedly extend into the playing squad from this summer onwards, and Olise is being targeted as the new chapter’s first recruit.

However, United’s latest pathetic showing would be enough to put any prospective signing off, especially with the increasing possibility that no European football whatsoever will be on the table next season.