After coming through the Manchester United academy, James Garner signed for Everton back in September 2022.
The Manchester United academy graduate joined the Toffees for a fee believed to be in the region of £15 million and has since become a key figure under David Moyes.
James Garner made just seven appearances for United’s first-team before leaving the club, but he won’t look back on his exit with any regret after becoming a regular for Everton.
Everton have endured a tricky season and Garner has had several injuries to deal with, but he’s enjoying his football again under Moyes, who has helped turn the season around for the Toffees amid reoccurring fears of relegation.
James Garner blames injury for Manchester United exit
Prior to Garner’s departure, the midfielder had made a name for himself during loan spells at Watford and Nottingham Forest.
Garner did not want to continue sitting on the bench at United after experiencing senior football in the Championship and he quickly learned that he was not among Erik ten Hag’s priorities.
The Everton midfielder features as a special guest on episode two of More Than A Match and he provided insight into his United exit.
Garner said: “I feel like I’ve got a chance now I’ve proven myself on loan, they can see that I’m serious to try and take up a spot, but obviously the new manager come in, Ten Hag, and I got injured on the first day of pre-season, which killed me.
“The testing, I’ve come back and I want to show people that I’ve developed in the gym and all that, doing everything maxed out and all that stuff, and I’ve gone maxed out on my quad… I tore it basically.
“Every time I planted on my right side it felt like my right side was 20kg heavier than the left leg. It was weird, I got a scan [and] I was out for three weeks. I missed the first few weeks of the new manager.
“He’s come in to implement a new style and a new way of playing and I got injured on the first day. I’m not saying I would have stayed. I could have. I might have hit the ground running on the first day and he’s like ‘I’m keeping him, he’s good’.
“I might have suited him, we’ll never know.”
Garner went on to explain how he felt nervous in games after returning to United, overly eager to impress and prove that he’d developed as a player.
“I played one or two games, didn’t play as well as I’d like to coming back off injury. I’m nervous, wanting to impress, and then it was kind of a conversation I went to see him [Ten Hag] and said ‘honestly I kind of want some kind of answer whether I’m going to play a part of this season’.
“He said: ‘Yeah you’re going to play a part but I’m not going to promise.’ I thought, you know what, I think I’ve got my answer. I’m not scared to go out of my comfort zone. I think it’s time now to go and play. I didn’t want to stagnate, I didn’t want to sit on the bench.”
Garner set for new Everton contract
Even though Moyes has warned Everton fans that no new contracts will be handed out until he has secured the club mathematical Premier League safety, it is understood that talks will be held with Garner over a new deal.
According to The Athletic, Everton are likely to enter contract talks with the former United midfielder over the summer.
The report suggests Everton are in no rush as they have a 12-month extension clause on Garner’s current contract.
Garner has been a mainstay in the Everton line-up since Moyes replaced Sean Dyche as manager at Goodison Park.
After beating Leicester City in February, Moyes hailed Garner’s range of passing.
“I thought James [Garner] did great,” Moyes told Sky Sports. His pass for the goal was fabulous.
“I was a bit concerned about him playing as long as he did because I just need him to be right and get through and that was his first game. I thought he did a great job and I was pleased to have him back.”
Moyes will have a key role to play if Garner signs an extension at Everton.
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