Selling James Garner to Premier League rivals Leeds risks provoking a furious reaction from the Manchester United fanbase, former Old Trafford starlet Luke Chadwick tells Caught Offside.
Whoever takes Ralf Rangnick’s place in the United dugout next season – be it Mauricio Pochettino or Erik Ten Hag – you can guarantee that the club’s next manager will be desperate to take a closer look at Garner.
After all, the 21-year-old playmaker has been a huge hit on loan at Nottingham Forest, playing a major role in the FA Cup triumphs over Arsenal and Leicester City before holding his own against Liverpool in the quarter-finals.
And, given that Man United’s midfield is worryingly light on both quantity and quality, there’s an argument to be made that Garner could soon be taking the Oliver Skipp route, stepping up from the second-tier to the starting XI of a bonafide top-flight giant.
That’s if the Red Devils don’t accept a bid from their old rivals from the other side of the Pennines of course.
Will Man United really sell Jimmy Garner to Leeds?
A ball-playing midfielder is Leeds’ top priority heading into the summer transfer window. Brenden Aaronson, John Swift and Flynn Downes are targets.
But, according to The Athletic, Garner has admirers at Elland Road too.
“James Garner has proven in the Championship (that he is) a top, top player at that level,” says Chadwick. “United obviously have a history of getting players through from their academy to the first team.
“So I would be very surprised if Garner left before the new manager had a good look at him.
“He is certainly someone who could flourish in the Premier League. It might be a big ask for him to go in and start every game from the start of the next season but I do genuinely think Man United think a lot of him.
“The rivalry with Leeds means (selling him) wouldn’t go particularly well down with the fanbase.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if we see him in and around United’s first-team during pre-season to see what he can offer the club going forward.”
Garner was once labelled ‘the next Michael Carrick’ by former boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and you can see where the comparisons come from.
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“Jimmy Garner, I think, is a really good player,” Bruno Fernandes said last year. “I really like him and the way he kicks the ball. He’s really aggressive off the ball too.”
A couple of attributes that will no doubt endear him to Leeds boss Jesse Marsch, one suspects.
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