England manager Thomas Tuchel has spoken highly of Manchester United academy graduate James Garner following his performance against Uruguay. The English midfielder spent his formative years at Carrington and was once tipped to become a mainstay in the starting XI.
However, the Red Devils took the surprising decision to allow Garner to leave permanently in the summer of 2022. With Erik ten Hag taking charge of the first team, the player was deemed surplus to requirements and he joined Everton in a reported £15 million deal.
The decision has since come back to haunt United, with Garner going on to establish himself as a first-team regular for the Toffees. United, meanwhile, are missing a player of his calibre in the squad and are gearing up to invest heavily in midfield this summer.
United’s midfield conundrum
United are set to part ways with Casemiro at the end of this season once his contract expires. Manuel Ugarte, meanwhile, has been relegated to the bench by the Brazilian this season and could also be on his way out this year.
The Red Devils are looking for a suitable replacement for Casemiro and are reportedly eyeing several Premier League-proven candidates for the job. Elliot Anderson, Carlos Baleba, Adam Wharton, and Sandro Tonali are among a host of names linked with United right now.
Recent reports have suggested that the Red Devils are also considering a reunion with Garner, who has excelled for Everton this season. The Englishman has registered three goals and six assists in 34 appearances for the Merseyside club, all of which were starts.
James Garner Stats: 2025/26 Season
| Competition | Appearances | Starts | Goals | Assists | Yellow Cards | Red Cards | Minutes Played |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premier League | 31 | 31 | 2 | 6 | 7 | - | 2,784' |
| EFL Cup | 2 | 2 | - | - | 1 | - | 180' |
| FA Cup | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | 120' |
| Total | 34 | 34 | 3 | 6 | 8 | - | 3,084' |
Source: Transfermarkt.
Garner was in the starting XI for the Three Lions’ friendly game against La Celeste on Friday, before being replaced by Kobbie Mainoo in the 70th minute. England took the lead in the 82nd minute through Ben White, only for Federico Valverde to equalise from the spot in the fourth minute of second-half injury time.
Tuchel hails Garner
Speaking after the game, Tuchel hailed Garner as ‘mini-Valverde’, but insisted that the Everton man has room for improvement. Tuchel said: “I am very happy, he’s our mini [Federico] Valverde. He’s getting there and he played very, very good.”
“I was quite sure that he would play well because he has this natural confidence and he’s very physical; he won a lot of balls. There are some situations where he can be a bit more open and drive through midfield with the ball with a little bit more confidence.”
“In the last 10 minutes of the first half, he was involved in some ball losses, which cost us some confidence in the final 10 minutes. But I am very impressed with the way he trained, and the way he behaved and the way he played tonight.”
Garner signed a new contract with Everton in January this year and is now tied to the Hill Dickinson Stadium until 2030.
Final Thoughts
Allowing Garner to leave was one of United’s most controversial decisions in recent times and it is fast proving to be a costly error. However, the Red Devils are now putting greater emphasis on youth, and it is unlikely that such a lapse will be repeated.
Featured image Alex Livesey via Getty Images
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