Manchester United loanee Facundo Pellistri might have been given the toughest task of any player sent out this transfer window.
While Jadon Sancho landed a comfortable return to former club Borussia Dortmund, with the Champions League knockout stages an added bonus, Facundo Pellistri landed a far tougher task.
The Uruguayan was sent out on loan to Spanish strugglers Granada, already rooted in the La Liga relegation zone.
Pellistri’s spell at Granada started promisingly. He even scored in an impressive 3-3 draw against Barcelona and provided an assist.
Since then, it’s been very difficult, with Granada’s relegation to Spain’s second tier confirmed, with only four wins all season.
Facundo Pellistri loan spell
Facundo Pellistri was tempted to Granada by Uruguayan manager Alex Medina. He was fired in mid-March as one last desperate throw of the dice to try and avoid relegation.
Pellistri has retained his place in the team’s line-up, but it has been tough, with Granada winning only two of the 14 matches he has played.
The team has lost the last four games in a row, most recently defeated 2-1 by Celta Vigo.
Pellistri’s performance was criticised by Spanish newspaper AS, who summed up his performance as ‘nothing at all’.
The outlet added that he ‘became exasperating’ before he was substituted with minutes remaining on the clock.
Pellistri created one chance but completed only 17 passes, amid growing anger from the fanbase towards the club’s board.
This has been a difficult environment for Pellistri to excel in, and his initial promise has been lost. He needed to play for a team who were challenging at the top of a league, where he would see lots of possession.
Instead, this has set him back, predictably panning out the same way as his previous loans at Alaves.
What happens next for Pellistri
Facundo Pellistri recently said he expects to return to Manchester United for pre-season and plot out his future from there.
Most likely, the Uruguayan faces being sold in the summer, with a potential sell-on fee if United are smart.
Pellistri has failed to win over Erik ten Hag, admitting his time at the club was ‘complicated’ with a lack of game time.
His agent also hit out at United and said he didn’t see a future for him at Old Trafford unless Ten Hag was fired.
United signed him in late 2020, and he only made his first Premier League start earlier in the season. He has since been overtaken by Amad, who looks like he does have a bright future.
If Pellistri is serious about making it at United, he needs a loan to another English club, similar to Amad, as one last effort to try and show he can cut it.