James Garner has admitted that he could leave Manchester United on loan again if he is unsure about the amount of playing time he will receive.
Speaking to the PA News Agency (h/t Manchester Evening News), Manchester United midfielder James Garner has admitted that he could seek another loan exit this summer if he does not receive adequate game-time at Old Trafford.
Garner made his first-team debut for Manchester United under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer but has since been farmed out on loan spells away from the club. The 21-year-old had a short stint at Watford in the first half of the 2020/21 campaign before joining Nottingham Forest in January last year.
Having made a good impression, the midfielder returned to the City Grounds for another stint last season and performed admirably. Garner was crucial to Nottingham Forest winning promotion back to the Premier League through playoffs. Now that he is back at Manchester United, the Englishman is keen on carving out a place for himself at Old Trafford.
“I had a really good season last season – full of confidence, full of experience. The experience I didn’t have, I feel that now I do have. I played in some big pressure games and I just think it’s a new and improved me. It was almost as perfect a loan experience that I could possibly have had. I played pretty much every single game, played well and ended up winning promotion. For me, it’s probably the perfect loan,” he said.
James Garner on for the first time in the #MUFC pre season tour ? pic.twitter.com/SOg0iD6tjn
— mufcacademy91 (@mufcacademy91) July 23, 2022
“However, for me now because I’ve played two seasons back-to-back, where I’ve been playing games non-stop, I don’t really want to stop that. I want to play week in, week out. That is of course what I want to do. I’m not too sure but pre-season has been good so far and, like I said, hopefully in the next two, three weeks – we’ve still got games left – I can show what I can do.”
However, Garner added that if he does not feel that he can play regularly at Manchester United, he would seek a loan move away, while also claiming that he would prefer to join a Premier League side.
“I want to play for United. Of course that’s obviously my aim,” Garner said. But I feel like if I’m not going to be playing as regularly as I would like to then I’m definitely open to going back on loan to a Premier League side. I feel like I’m a midfielder that can do pretty much everything.
“I feel like I can play in the six or eight role. Last season I played in the 10 role as well – I’m not saying that’s what I prefer, but I’m saying I can play in that position if needed – so I feel like I offer everything that a midfielder would need.”
It remains to be seen what Manchester United decide to do with regard to Garner’s future. It is unlikely that he would receive regular game-time under Erik ten Hag, who has Fred, Scott McTominay, Bruno Fernandes and Christian Eriksen as options, while the Red Devils are also pushing for Frenkie de Jong.
