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Alejandro Garnacho has been handed important backing from Premier League great Brad Friedel after a difficult beginning to life at Aston Villa.

Garnacho has gone through a challenging 18 months since his unceremonious departure from Manchester United and an underwhelming spell at Chelsea. Now trying to rebuild his standing during a loan move at Aston Villa, the winger has been supported by former goalkeeper Brad Friedel, who feels Unai Emery is the ideal manager to help him recover the excellent form he showed earlier in his career.

A sharp downturn for Garnacho

Garnacho has endured a turbulent phase, managing only one league goal during his short time at Chelsea after completing a £40 million move from Manchester United. His period under Ruben Amorim also ended badly, with a public falling-out marking the end of that chapter.

Garnacho has now joined Aston Villa on loan with an option to buy, as the club look to replace the gap left by Rogers, who recently moved to Chelsea in a £117m transfer.

In spite of his recent struggles, Garnacho is hoping to revive his career, although he has already suffered an early blow after missing the ongoing UEFA Super Cup clash against PSG because of concussion protocols. According to an exclusive interview carried by the Daily Star Sport via Football Betting, the move makes complete sense.

Friedel backs the transfer approach

Friedel does not believe Chelsea have taken advantage of Aston Villa, instead stressing the financial realities of the modern game.

"I don’t think so here; for Aston Villa, it’s a case of working under the regulatory constraints and PSR and choosing the right time to cash in on a player," Friedel explained. Aston Villa, he said, have regularly handled these challenges effectively in recent seasons. "It’s important for clubs like Villa to balance the bookings when operating close to the levels they do," Friedel added.

The former goalkeeper feels balancing the books is simply essential for clubs trying to stay competitive at the very top end of football.

Emery seen as the key figure

Friedel is highly confident that Emery is the right manager to help Garnacho return to his best. Emery has reshaped Aston Villa, and Friedel has complete faith in his judgement.

"Plus, when you have a manager like Emery, who is so talented at keeping Aston Villa in and around the Champions League spots, he will know the type of player to bring in to add value to the squad," he said. The atmosphere at Villa Park may offer Garnacho the ideal stage to flourish again. "So with Emery’s track record of working with players, Garnacho will be one player where Emery will work closely with to ensure he can play at his best," Friedel concluded.

What next for Garnacho?

For now, Garnacho remains on the sidelines as Aston Villa face PSG in the UEFA Super Cup. Once he is cleared through concussion protocols, he will look to make his Premier League debut for the club and answer his critics.

At the same time, Rogers could make his eagerly awaited Chelsea debut this weekend against Real Sociedad at Stamford Bridge after an extended post-World Cup break.