“Players become superstars there” - Nicky Butt names 2 clubs Manchester United star Alejandro Garnacho might want to join

Former Manchester United midfielder Nicky Butt believes Alejandro Garnacho has his eye on a move to Real Madrid or Barcelona in the future. The pundit believes all the big names in the Premier League will love to become superstars in Spain.

Garnacho earned his first-team promotion at Old Trafford in 2022, having joined United's academy from Atletico Madrid's youth setup two years prior.

The Argentine has impressed with his performances so far for the Red Devils, winning the FA Cup last season and the Carabao Cup in his debut campaign. He's off to a great start this term, scoring seven goals and providing four assists across competitions.

Garnacho's contract with Manchester United runs until 2028, however, Butt sees the 20-year-old's long-term future elsewhere. Speaking on the Football's Greatest podcast, the Englishman said (via Metro):

"The Premier League is the best league in the world but all the best players always leave and go to Spain, go to Real Madrid or Barcelona. If you look at all the superstars, they never stay in the Premier League. They stay until they need to go to the next level.

"A lot of the players see the next level as being Real Madrid or Barca but we don’t see anywhere bigger than Man United. Our mentality is if you leave Man United you’re going down."

He added:

"You don’t get appreciated here like you do at Madrid. You can guarantee Kylian Mbappe will be in the running for the Ballon d’Or next year because he’s at Real Madrid.

"It’s like Garnacho, he’s doing well here now, he’s a young Argentinian boy. If he keeps going, you can imagine him wanting to go to Real Madrid or Barcelona. Players become superstars there, not only on the football pitch."

Manchester United will face Ipswich Town in the Premier League after the international break on November 24. That will also be Ruben Amorim's first game in charge of the Red Devils.

"I would call it a sideways move" - Paul Scholes weighs in on Manchester United star Alejandro Garnacho's future

Manchester United icon Paul Scholes has explained the appeal of a move to Real Madrid or Barcelona for players in the Premier League. Speaking on the aforementioned podcast with his former teammate Butt, Scholes opined that a switch to one of the Spanish giants should be considered a lateral move.

However, leaving the English top tier to join the likes of Juventus or Bayern Munich, Scholes believes, is a downgrade for a Manchester United player. He said:

"If you become a great player here, the only place you can go is Madrid or Barcelona. I would call it a sideways move. If you’re talking about going to Juventus or Bayern Munich, I would say no.

"But there is something about going to Barcelona or Real Madrid. Some players become obsessed by that."