Garnacho Must Ditch the Ego or Face Chelsea Exile, Warns Wright-Phillips

Alejandro Garnacho needs to shed his ego and sharpen up his game, or risk becoming a permanent fixture on Chelsea's bench, according to former Blues winger Shaun Wright-Phillips.

The Argentine arrived at Stamford Bridge last summer in a £40million transfer from Manchester United, where he had fallen out of favour under Ruben Amorim's management. Now 21, Garnacho has failed to replicate his potential in west London, managing just one goal and four assists across 20 Premier League outings, despite glimpses of genuine quality under both Enzo Maresca and current boss Liam Rosenior.

His form has been marginally stronger in the domestic cups, where he's notched six goals in eight appearances, though four of those strikes came against lower-league opposition in Wrexham, Port Vale and Cardiff. That inconsistency has left him starting only three of Chelsea's last nine games under Rosenior.

Wright-Phillips, who earned 125 appearances for Chelsea across all competitions, believes Garnacho's current output falls short of what the club demands. "I feel like he may need to put his ego a little bit in check," the former winger told Sky Bet.

"Because in a Premier League, a half season or one season is not good enough. To be at a level where people want to buy you, it has to be a consistent thing. It's okay scoring sometimes, but I know the Chelsea fans, the least they need from you is 110%. If they see you working that hard for that badge, they will back you."

Wright-Phillips added that Garnacho faces stiff competition within Chelsea's wide ranks, suggesting the Argentine must deliver immediately or risk being overtaken. "I don't know whether that's tactically, or whether he's not happy, but they got nearly six or seven wingers, so he's gonna have to do something because Gittens might just switch on at any given point."

Chelsea have won just twice in their last nine games across all competitions, a concerning run that has raised questions about their trajectory this season. Despite the struggles, Garnacho remains upbeat about the club's prospects and reflected on his move from Old Trafford.

"We know the team we have, the things we can do," he told Premier League Productions. "Sometimes is better in some moments, and worse. But yeah, I'm really proud to be here in this moment. At United have nothing wrong to say about the club or any teammates, no one. Just a moment on life changed. My life continued. So we have to keep looking forward."