Erik ten Hag is hoping to see James Garner in action, before deciding what to do with him this season.
Manchester United have been in good form in pre-season, as Erik ten Hag begins to turn this squad into one that plays in his high-pressing style.
Some players are already rising to the fore, with Jadon Sancho and Anthony Martial looking particularly sharp.
Pre-season is always a good time to gauge just how United’s younger players are developing. Zidane Iqbal and Charlie Savage have both been impressive.
One man I wanted to get a closer look at was James Garner, though he’s been absent in United’s first three games. He had been missing with an injury.
Now, Ten Hag has named Garner as a player he would ‘want to see more’ of before making a decision on where his future lies. The Englishman has been integrated back into training, though United’s new Dutch boss doesn’t have a ‘full impression’ of the 21-year-old so far.
“James Garner integrated into training this week, so I haven’t seen him. I don’t have a full impression of him and I want to see more. I will then answer the question, and make conclusions and decisions.” Ten Hag told the media, including the Manchester Evening News.
As an avid fan of Garner, I’m excited to see how the Englishman gets on. He looked like one of Nottingham Forest’s best players while he was there on loan last season. It’s now time to work out whether he can make that step up to the Premier League.
Pre-season is the best time to have a watchful eye on Garner. It’s worth checking how he gets on in both training and in friendly matches, before making a decision on whether to send him out on loan, integrate him into the first-team squad or possibly sell him for good.
With Nemanja Matic and Paul Pogba both leaving and no new midfielder signed as of yet, there’s a real opportunity there for Garner if he can make a good impression on Ten Hag.
Garner’s high-energy game should fall in line with how Ten Hag team usually plays, while these comments lead me to believe that the Englishman will be involved over the next couple of games.
Do you think James Garner is good enough for the Man United first team? Let us know your thoughts in the comment box below.
