Ten Hag might copy Solskjaer loan trick to seal James Garner’s Man United future

Manchester United weren’t in action, which is probably why last weekend was one of the most enjoyable that supporters have had all season. A week that started with the official unveiling of Erik ten Hag ended with the old enemy, Liverpool, losing in the Champions League final and a product of United’s youth academy, James Garner, playing a pivotal role in Nottingham Forest’s return to the top-flight.

The 21-year-old was a key contributor to Forest’s remarkable rise to promotion under Steve Cooper, scoring four goals and notching eight assists in the Championship, before setting up their precious winner at Wembley. Anyone who has watched Garner play this season will have no doubts about the enormous potential he possesses — and perhaps the only question is just who he will be playing for next season.

The Manchester Evening News revealed this week that Ten Hag will watch Garner first-hand before deciding on the midfielder’s immediate future, with Forest unsurprisingly keen on re-signing him on loan next season.

READ MORE: Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag to wait before making James Garner decision

Garner is almost certain to play in the Premier League next season, whether that is at United, Forest or even another side. Leicester, Southampton and Leeds have all been credited with an interest in him just this week. The harsh truth is that even if the Birkenhead-born midfielder manages to impress Ten Hag in pre-season this summer, it still seems highly unlikely he will go straight into the United first team.

Garner is exceptionally gifted as a technical player, but he could suffer from being thrown straight into the physical demands of the Premier League, particularly at a club as severely scrutinised as United.

It means that if the youngster were to stay at Old Trafford next season, then the majority of his playing time would likely come from the bench and in lower-pressured cup competitions. He might be better off moving to a club where he would play every week and have a crash course in top-flight football.

Since he made his United debut under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer against Crystal Palace in February 2019, Garner has started twice for the club, both times in the Europa League group stage later that year, with another five substitute appearances to follow.

While he has achieved so much in the three years since that debut, it would still be unrealistic to expect him to make a similar impact if thrown into the United first-team this summer. Instead, a return to Forest might be the most logical choice next season, and in teammate Dean Henderson, he has the perfect blueprint to follow.

Four years ago, Henderson was loaned out to Championship side Sheffield United where he helped them earn promotion to the Premier League for the first time since 2007.

Just like Garner, he had a stellar solo campaign too, winning the club’s Young Player of the Year Award as well as the Championship Golden Glove award.

Those performances led to interest from across Europe in his signature, but instead Solskjaer ensured in the summer of 2019 that he signed a new contract with United, who protected his long-term value and future, before re-signing with Sheffield United for their debut season back in the top-flight. Henderson went on to shine in Sheffield once again and return to Old Trafford very much as a contender to be the club’s No.1 after two fantastic seasons at the club.

While things haven’t quite worked out since and Henderson looks set to leave this summer, his loan success is very much the blueprint of what Garner could look to gain from another year at Forest next season. Staying at a club where he is loved, comfortable, and has the full trust of his manager could hold the key to the young midfielder fulfilling his vast potential and one day becoming a mainstay of the United side.