Xavi Simons and Wayne Rooney both made powerful admissions about a former Manchester United talent who left Old Trafford and caught their eye for all the right reasons.
Wayne Rooney visited the Tottenham training complex and the 40-year-old legendary former Manchester United striker crossed paths with Xavi Simons.
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Simons, who was heavily linked with United in the past, marked his arrival in the Premier League after Tottenham signed the Dutch talent back in August.
Tottenham agreed to pay a £51.8m transfer fee to land the 22-year-old attacking midfielder for Thomas Frank’s squad from German outfit RB Leipzig.
Simons has made a name for himself early in his playing career as one of the top prospects in the world, having played for Paris Saint-Germain and PSV Eindhoven.
Xavi Simons tells Man Utd icon Wayne Rooney his feelings about Everton midfielder James Garner
Xavi Simons has netted twice and registered three assists in his 20 matches for Tottenham since his stunning move from RB Leipzig during the summer window.
The Netherlands international was asked if there were any players in England who caught him by surprise when he arrived in the Premier League for the first time.
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Simons, who played under Manchester United legend Ruud van Nistelrooy at PSV, admitted that Everton’s James Garner caught his attention for all the right reasons.
“The one that surprised me was, I guess, Everton, was I knew him because of the youth teams he played in Manchester United, James Garner,” he told BBC Sport’s The Wayne Rooney Show.
“I knew from the… he’s older than me, but I knew [him].
“Now, when I played against him, I felt like, ‘Okay, technical with the ball, I think he’s really, really good.’”
Wayne Rooney’s admission about James Garner after Xavi Simons’ praise for the former Man Utd talent
James Garner started his career in the United youth academy and made seven appearances for the first team before his exit from Old Trafford in 2022.
The 24-year-old midfielder left United and signed for Everton for a reported £9m fee, with the Red Devils’ transfer rising to £15m through add-ons as well.
United legend Rooney told Simons that he tried to sign Garner when he was Derby County manager, with the youngster on loan at Nottingham Forest at the time.
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“Yeah, I tried to sign him when I was coach at Derby County when he signed for our rival team Nottingham Forest [on loan from Man Utd],” he said.
“I tried to get him on loan.
“But he’s been playing right-back as well. Yeah, but he’s a good player.”
Garner has made 101 appearances for Everton since his move to Goodison Park and he has netted three times and registered six assists for his current side.
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