Manchester United are looking for a new midfielder this summer. Elliott Anderson is expected to be the main target, with Adam Wharton and Karos Baleva also said to be on the shortlist.
One of this year’s targets is expected to be a big-money approach, but is there frustration that United have a talented midfielder and haven’t seen it?
United face an Everton side on Monday night. The midfield is superbly led by James Garner, once a member of the Red Devils’ academy but now one of the Premier League’s top performing midfielders.
Garner left United two-and-a-half years ago for £15m despite being highly rated in the club’s academy. Nicky Butt, who knows a thing or two about playing in United’s midfield and coached Garner through the club’s academy, backed the now 24-year-old to have a long career at Old Trafford.
Monday, February 23rd 6:30pm
Kickoff at 8pm
After leaving United, Garner said: “I didn’t want to get stuck in the mud.” “I had to make the decision to leave one of the best clubs in the world, and it was difficult, but it’s a club I’m glad I made.”
If Anderson is the main right of midfield this season, Garner has good reason to be a replacement on that list. Garner ranks right behind Anderson in many of the key statistics and metrics that characterize Premier League midfielders this season.
James Garner rivals Elliott Anderson as one of the Premier League’s top midfielders
Still, while the buzz around Garner remains quiet, everyone is talking about Anderson. That may be due to the fact that the Everton midfielder signed a new contract with Merseyside until 2030 earlier this season, months before he was set to leave the club on a free transfer.
But there’s another area where Garner is being overlooked. Despite his consistent form at Everton and multiple international slots where England manager Thomas Tuchel has tried out midfielders such as Alex Scott, Curtis Jones and Ruben Loftus-Cheek, there is currently no room for Garner.
But that may not be the case anymore. After Everton beat United away in November, Tuchel spoke to several Toffees players in the Old Trafford dugout. Jack Grealish was one of them, Garner was another.
Tuchel has not made a selection for England since then, but Garner has been asked to join the Three Lions, including by manager David Moyes, as the March international break arrives, months before the summer’s World Cup.
“England have a lot of good players to choose from,” the Everton manager said before announcing his final squad.
“I’ve been hearing discussions all week about Phil Foden and Jude Bellingham, but all I’m saying is that Jimmy is one of a group of young midfield players in England who could get a call-up in the future.”
And what about the players themselves? “I’m a very practical person, and if you had asked me 12 months ago I would have said I was miles away from that,” Garner said earlier this month.
“However, if he can maintain his performance this season, I don’t think there’s any reason why he can’t do well.”
At Manchester United and England, Garner could argue that he has been underrated for most of his career. But in the months that followed, he would finally step into the spotlight.
Watch Everton vs Manchester United live this weekend on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football from 6.30pm and kick-off from 8pm
