Manchester United's £65m January gamble is more high-risk than it was a few days ago - for two reasons

Manchester United were edging towards Europa League safety against Rangers when the Stretford End broke into a rendition of 'Viva Garnacho'. The winger had just bamboozled another defender to win a free-kick when his outstanding contribution over an hour was serenaded.

Alejandro Garnacho had been a problem for Rangers all night and this was his best performance of the Ruben Amorim era by some distance. The only disappointment was that his night somehow ended without a goal or an assist, but he has done enough to keep his place against Fulham on Sunday. If he's still at Old Trafford, that is.

Because that is the irony of Garnacho's performance on Thursday. It came on the day Chelsea stepped up their efforts to sign him and reminded Napoli that he might just be worth stretching the budget for. At 20 years of age, with eight caps for Argentina and 119 appearances for United under his belt, he is clearly a potential generational talent.

With 11 days of the January window remaining, United are still open to selling him. In an era of Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) and tightened financial controls, and at a club losing money at an alarming rate, he is a sellable asset and every penny of the £65million or so United might bank would count as pure profit in accounting terms.

The image of Garnacho, Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus Hojlund sitting on an advertising hoarding at Old Trafford celebrating a goal is iconic now. But pure profit trumps romance in modern football, and that is a buzzkill right there.

Garnacho was the brightest United attacker on the pitch from the get go. Having looked ill at ease in this system, he looked better occupying those half spaces to the left side of the pitch, rather than the right. With Joshua