Chelsea attempted to include two of their first-team players in a deal to secure the signature of Alejandro Garnacho from Manchester United during this summer's transfer window, it has emerged.
The Proposed Swap Deal
Prior to eventually paying £40 million for the Argentine winger, Chelsea presented their Premier League rivals with an alternative proposal. The Blues offered Manchester United the chance to sign both Romeo Lavia and Christopher Nkunku as part of an exchange arrangement for Garnacho.
This revelation comes after Garnacho had reportedly fallen out of favour under United's manager Ruben Amorim. The 21-year-old was placed on the transfer list alongside high-profile teammates Marcus Rashford, Antony, and Jadon Sancho ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
Why United Rejected the Offer
Despite Manchester United's recognised need for reinforcement in both midfield and attacking positions, the club declined Chelsea's dual offer. The primary concern regarding Lavia centred on his extensive injury history since his £53 million move from Southampton.
The Belgian midfielder has managed just 30 appearances for Chelsea since joining under former manager Mauricio Pochettino and has yet to complete a full 90 minutes for the club. His current absence due to a quadriceps injury follows previous hamstring and thigh problems.
As for Nkunku, the French forward was not part of new Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca's plans and subsequently completed a transfer to AC Milan instead.
Maresca's Unexpected Praise for Lavia
In a surprising twist, despite Chelsea's willingness to include Lavia in the proposed swap deal, manager Enzo Maresca has previously spoken highly of the midfielder. Following a 1-0 victory over Everton in April, Maresca deployed Lavia in central midfield and described him as 'one of the best midfielders' when fit.
'He can defend very well, he can attack, he can break the line and pass between the lines,' Maresca stated after the match. 'I spent one entire season with Romeo when I was Under-23 coach at Manchester City, so I know him very well.'
The Chelsea manager compared Lavia's importance to that of Reece James, adding: 'The only shame for us is that unfortunately we need to manage them. We need to protect them, but there is no doubt that Chelsea with Reece and Romeo is a better team.'
Since his £40 million move to Stamford Bridge, Garnacho has made 10 appearances for Chelsea and has shown promising form with two goals and two assists in his last four matches.
