Alejandro Garnacho received an emergency call from the Argentina boss after making his Chelsea debut.
The 21-year-old winger came off the bench for the Blues against Brentford on Saturday.
He looked lively in attack and played a role in Moises Caicedo's goal, but was at fault defensively when Fabio Carvalho ghosted in at the back post to snatch a late equaliser for the Bees.
After falling out with Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim, Garnacho will now be hoping to prove himself for club and country ahead of next summer's World Cup. Last weekend, he spoke privately with the Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni and asked: “Is there room for me?”
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Scaloni replied: "Yes, but keep in mind you’re starting from behind. You’ll have to prove a lot to return to the National Team.”
Garnacho has been in and out of the Argentina set-up in recent years.
He was first called up to the senior squad in March 2022 for friendlies, but did not make an appearance in either game.
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A year later, he returned to the squad, but had to withdraw with an ankle injury. His senior debut eventually came in June 2023 when he came off the bench in a friendly against Australia.
He then made Argentina's 26-man squad for their victorious Copa America campaign in 2024., But his involvement was limited, only featuring in the final group-stage match.
Garnacho's last international appearance came in November 2024, when he came off the bench in a World Cup qualifier defeat to Paraguay.
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His club career has also been difficult over the past year.
After he was dropped by Amorim for the Manchester derby in December 2024, it appeared that the pair had patched things up. Garnacho played regularly through the second half of the season, contributing to United's UEFA Europa League run.
But when he was given just 19 minutes off the bench in the final against Tottenham Hotspur, he voiced his frustration, which ended his United career.
Despite criticism over his attitude, Garnacho's talent remains undeniable. He made 144 appearances for Manchester United, and at £40 million, Chelsea will believe they have got value for money.
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He could make his Champions League bow for the Blues on Wednesday night, when they travel to face Bayern Munich.
And he will get an opportunity to remind Amorim of his talents on Saturday evening when they face Manchester United.
As well as Chelsea, Garnacho's thoughts will be on next summer's World Cup, which will be Argentina's last tournament with the legendary Lionel Messi.
Topics: Alejandro Garnacho, Argentina, Chelsea, Enzo Maresca, Manchester United, Transfer News, Football, Premier League
James Taylor