Everton midfielder James Garner has given an insight into how his conversation with Erik ten Hag went before deciding to leave Manchester United in the summer.
Having impressed during his 18 months on loan at Nottingham Forest and playing an influential role in firing the City Ground side back up to the big time, the 21-year-old was hoping to establish himself in the Red Devils side under the Dutchman.
But after struggling with niggly injuries during pre-season, the Manchester United Academy graduate quickly realised that his chances of game time under the former Ajax boss were going to be limited.
The arrivals of Christian Eriksen and Casemiro pushed our former number 37 further down the pecking order and Everton signed the England Under-21 international on a permanent deal for an initial £9m as Garner pursued regular first team football in the top-flight.
James Garner explains Manchester United exit
Since making his debut for the Toffees against the Red Devils, Everton’s number 37 has come off the bench in six consecutive Premier League games.
The talented midfielder will be hoping to make his first start under Frank Lampard in tonight’s Carabao Cup third-round tie against Bournemouth.
In an interview with The Times, Garner, who made seven first team appearances for United, has explained how disappointed he was at leaving the twenty-time league champions who he had been with since the age of eight.
But having been told he was free to leave United, instead of challenging or trying to change Ten Hag’s stance, Garner agreed with the 52-year-old and accepted it was time to leave the club he had spent 13 years with.
Garner said: “In the moment it is very disappointing. That was the club that I trained with five times a week for years and years and years, that I made my debut with.
“But I didn’t want to stagnate. I didn’t want to stay there really and when they said I could leave also, I was in agreement with that.
“I just think it all made sense. I had two good seasons on loan and returned to United in the summer.”
Following the world-class arrivals of Casemiro and Eriksen, Garner knew he wasn’t going to break into Ten Hag’s best XI, but instead of staying and making up the numbers in training, Garner made the difficult decision to embark on a new chapter.
Garner added: “I know in myself I wouldn’t have played if I had stayed. I knew it was the perfect time now, at 21, to move on and try and stake my claim somewhere else and hopefully find a home, which I have now in Everton.
“Where I am at in my career now, I didn’t just want to be an extra body, or I didn’t want to just be a spare player in training.
“Last season, I was one of the main players in Forest’s team and that is what I want to be.
“I don’t want to be just another player who is there for numbers in training. I want to be a main part of the team whether that is a starter or coming off the bench.”
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