Chelsea's Alejandro Garnacho transfer to deal Man Utd double blow after £30m exchange

Chelsea will have secured two transfer window victories over Manchester United this summer if the Premier League duo push ahead with a blockbuster swap deal involving Alejandro Garnacho and Christopher Nkunku. Both players are reportedly at the centre of a potential agreement that would see them move in opposing directions.

Garnacho has long been linked with Chelsea. It is widely claimed that the Blues considered making an approach during the January transfer window, but no switch took place. It could now happen after United were claimed to have 'considered' signing Nkunku in a swap deal. Garnacho has been told he can find a new club this summer by head coach Ruben Amorim, while Nkunku is said to have grown frustrated by his lack of game time at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea would be the big winners if such a deal took place. Garnacho is 20 and has high potential. Although Amorim was unimpressed by some of his performances last season, the Argentina international scored 11 goals and provided 10 assists across all competitions.

He would improve Chelsea's wide options and fill a gap on the left wing, where the Blues are keen to strengthen after losing loanee Jadon Sancho to Old Trafford. Garnacho may flourish in a system better suited to his style, having not always found it easy in Amorim's 3-4-2-1.

Many of those positive factors are not the case for Nkunku. He turns 28 in November and will have strong competition at Old Trafford in the positions he plays, just like he did at Stamford Bridge.

It could be an expensive deal for a player who is at a different stage of his career than Garnacho. United would be swapping out a high-potential, possible future star for a forward who struggled to fit at at Chelsea.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe also promised United fans that he would end the culture of signing high-earning players closing in on 30. Instead, rough diamonds, Ratcliffe said, would be acquired for cheaper prices and developed into world-class operators. Nkunku does not fit that profile.

By signing Garnacho and relinquishing Nkunku to United, Chelsea would be getting the better deal - less than a month after beating the Red Devils to Liam Delap. The forward picked west London over Manchester as clubs scrambled to complete a £30m deal with Ipswich.

A swap deal involving Garnacho and Nkunku would represent the second time Chelsea had got the better of United in the summer transfer window.