Leading James Garner suitor named as four clubs push to sign Man Utd starlet on permanent deal
A report has revealed which Premier League club is leading the charge to bring in James Garner from Manchester United on a permanent basis.
Garner spent the last 18 months on loan at Nottingham Forest. He made 69 appearances for the East Midlands side and helped them return to the Premier League last season.
The central midfielder is now back at Old Trafford and many were expecting him to be given a chance in Erik ten Hag’s squad.
Forest knew they probably wouldn’t be able to get him back at the City Ground. As such, they have brought in several midfielders, including Lewis O’Brien, Orel Mangala and Remo Freuler.
Surprisingly, Manchester United have now opted to sell their academy graduate this summer. The decision has come in for criticism from some fans, who don’t rate current midfielders Fred and Scott McTominay.
According to The Athletic, who broke the news, United will consider offers in the region of £14million.
It’s no surprise multiple top-flight clubs are preparing to make bids for the 21-year-old. He is a player with high potential who could be sold for a big profit in the future.
The Manchester Evening News state four teams have shown an interest in snapping Garner up. They are Tottenham, Everton, Southampton and Nottingham Forest.
James Garner has plenty of options for next move
And there is now a frontrunner – Southampton. They are leading the race to capture the England international and will aim to tie him down to a long-term contract if a transfer agreement is struck.
The MEN dispute The Athletic’s valuation. They claim United rate him at £15m-20m, which means Southampton may have to put up slightly more money than they were originally hoping.
Despite this increase, sources at Old Trafford still think the club have under-valued Garner. When you look at some of the fees players have been going for this window, it’s clear to see why.
Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side have a history of signing young players from ‘Big Six’ teams. They have brought in Gavin Bazunu and Romeo Lavia from Manchester City already this summer, both on permanent deals.
Garner now has a big decision to make. He could tell United chiefs he wants to stay in Manchester and fight for a starting spot. He may see the midfield as being a weak area that he can use to his advantage by getting into the first team.
Or, the 21-year-old can push through an exit and link up with the Saints. This would allow him to prove United wrong by shining at St Mary’s.
Game time may be a big factor for Garner. He will get more of this at Southampton than United, and this will help him to develop quicker.
Southampton are at the front of the queue to agree a deal with United for Garner. Now they need to submit a proposal which is in the region of United’s asking price.
Meanwhile, United are willing to pay a big fee to snare Brazilian enforcer Casemiro from Real Madrid, as per a report.
