Report suggests Rangers could miss out on midfielder who called Gerrard his ‘idol’

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Rangers may be fighting a losing battle in their attempts to sign James Garner, with The Sun (11 April, page 67) reporting Manchester United plan to send the midfielder abroad next season.

With one of the club’s most talented academy graduates passing his Championship test with flying colours at Nottingham Forest, the 2021/22 campaign already feels like it could make or break his hopes of a future at Old Trafford.

After a fine spell at the City Ground, Man United have big plans for Garner.

The Sun claims the Premier League giants plan to hand the youngster a new contract before sending him out on loan to a club in mainland Europe.

Will the Birkenhead-born 20-year-old soon become the latest fresh-faced Englishman to make his mark in the Bundesliga?

Perhaps Ole Gunnar Solksjaer and co feel La Liga would be a better fit for an intelligent, intuitive central midfielder renowned for his ability in possession?

Speaking to Stretty News this month, Garner’s agent admitted newly crowned Scottish champions Rangers had shown an interest, along with Brighton and Hove Albion and Norwich City.

“I know Brighton like him, I know Norwich like him. I know Rangers are really keen on him as well,” Steven Beck explained.

Of course, there’s still a chance Man United will put their differences with a certain Steven Gerrard to one side and send Garner north of the border to Ibrox.

During his three-year spell in Scotland, Gerrard has proved himself an excellent developer of young talent, with Alfredo Morelos, Ryan Kent and co going from strength to strength under the one-time Liverpool captain.

And Garner would surely benefit from a spell at a club that, like Man United, views success as a god-given right.

Speaking earlier in the season during another loan spell, this time at Watford, Garner admitted he grew up idolising peak-era Gerrard.

“My idol was probably Steven Gerrard. I used to watch all the games with my dad and he was the main player I used to watch. I wanted to be like him.

“I used to wear the Predators, just like him, and I still do today.”