Aston Villa have reportedly found themselves in an awkward loan situation involving Chelsea winger Alejandro Garnacho, according to The Telegraph . The 22-year-old joined Villa on loan after struggling to establish himself at Chelsea , but his start in Birmingham has taken a worrying turn.

Garnacho has made three Premier League appearances this season, all from the bench, and has played only 34 minutes. He has scored no goals and provided no assists. More concerningly, Emery left him unused for four straight fixtures, including Villa’s recent victory at Tottenham .

The Telegraph’s report claims the agreement contains neither an early exit clause for Villa nor a January recall option for Chelsea. That leaves both clubs needing to reach an agreement if they want to end the loan before the season finishes.

There is an uncomfortable comparison with Harvey Elliott’s previous loan spell at Villa. That agreement contained a £35m obligation to buy if Elliott reached 10 league appearances, yet he played only four times. Emery later described that situation as “embarrassing for everyone involved”, and Garnacho’s current lack of involvement has brought similar questions back.

PATHUM THANI, THAILAND – AUGUST 04: Alejandro Garnacho of Aston Villa looks on during the pre-season friendly match between Aston Villa and BG Pathum United at BG Stadium on August 04, 2026 in Pathum Thani, Thailand. (Photo by Pakawich Damrongkiattisak/Getty Images)

My view is that Emery should keep demanding more from Garnacho rather than force him into the side simply because of his reputation or reported £43m obligation. Villa have no reason to hand him regular minutes if his current performances in training do not convince the manager.

Garnacho still possesses obvious attacking qualities. His acceleration, ball-carrying and ability to beat defenders can give Villa another route through a deep defence. Yet those qualities mean little if he cannot meet Emery’s demands without the ball. Emery has already said Garnacho remains “a little bit behind” his teammates physically and tactically, while reports have highlighted the need for greater defensive work and discipline.

George Hemmings has moved ahead of him in the pecking order, while Emi Buendía’s return provides Emery with another attacking option. That makes forcing Garnacho into the XI even harder to justify.