Aston Villa secured a 3-2 Champions League victory against Club Brugge last Tuesday without using Alejandro Garnacho, who sat among the substitutes for the entire match in Belgium. The result extended Villa's European campaign but left questions hanging over the winger's role in Unai Emery's squad, according to Birmingham Live.
Since arriving on loan from Chelsea during the summer transfer window, the Argentina international has been restricted to three short outings off the bench in the Premier League, totalling just 31 minutes. He has yet to be named in Emery's starting eleven for any competition this season.
Nineteen-year-old George Hemmings has instead become the manager's preferred option on the left side of the attack. The teenager featured in every league starting line-up before making his Champions League bow in Bruges, where Birmingham Live noted he delivered another strong display.
Speaking after Villa's goalless draw with Hull City the previous weekend, Emery pointed to the younger player's development as a reason for his selection. The head coach highlighted Hemmings' work rate, distance covered and an assist for Emiliano Buendia, suggesting that anyone challenging for that position must match those standards.
Garnacho joined Villa on a temporary deal that includes an option to make the move permanent. He had transferred to Chelsea from Manchester United for £40 million last year but struggled during his first campaign at Stamford Bridge, prompting the loan switch before the window closed on 1 September.
Birmingham Live reported that some supporters have begun comparing his limited involvement to Harvey Elliott's stint at the club last season. The Liverpool loanee managed only nine appearances during what proved to be a frustrating spell, and fans quoted by the publication fear a similar outcome for the former United winger.
With the transfer window now shut until January 2027, Garnacho's immediate future rests entirely on whether he can force his way into Emery's plans over the coming weeks. For now, the head coach appears content to rely on the academy graduate who has already staked his claim.
