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Former Manchester United player Paul Parker has urged James Garner to move on if he does not get playing time at Old Trafford next season.
Garner moved to Nottingham Forest in the summer of 2021 on a season-long loan deal and has settled in nicely at the City Ground. The 21-year-old has made 31 appearances for Forest so far in the Championship, and has been a key cog in their promotion challenge.
They currently sit ninth in the English second tier but are just five points adrift of fourth-placed Huddersfield.
The defensive midfielder put in an impressive and mature display against Liverpool in the FA Cup quarter-finals. Garner's performance showed that he is perhaps ready for more playing time in the top division.
Parker explained that Garner is playing at a quicker tempo in the Championship with Nottingham Forest and is doing well.
The former full-back told Odds Ninja:
“He’s played at a quicker pace than the Premier League. There’s more minutes in the games in the Championship, because players don’t keep falling over as often as what they are doing in the Premier League. So he plays in a high tempo midfield.”
Parker went on to add:
“You look at what he does, he doesn’t give the ball away cheaply. I think given what he has gone out and done, he’s doing the hard yards down there, and it’s about him more than anything.”
He opined that based on Garner’s displays so far, he deserves some playing time at Manchester United next season:
“If he’s got that about him, and he thinks he’s better than what United have got at the moment and he deserves an opportunity, then he’s got to turn around and say that’s what he wants to do, or if he doesn’t believe that he’s going to get the opportunity, then he should be looking to move. Maybe go backwards in order to go forwards.”
Manchester United need a player of Garner’s ilk in central midfield
While the likes of Scott McTominay and Fred have done well under interim boss Ralf Rangnick, Manchester United need more quality and depth in their midfield.
The Red Devils will have to sign a replacement for Paul Pogba if the Frenchman leaves Old Trafford at the end of the season as a free agent. While a big-money signing could be on the cards, a player like Garner could be a good addition to the midfield too.
The 21-year-old is strong with his passing, and his defensive work-rate has been impressive at Nottingham Forest this season.
He still has a lot of football ahead of him and it certainly wouldn’t hurt Manchester United to give him some playing time to track his progression next season.
