James Garner 'frightens players to death' - ex-Everton man shares verdict
Everton midfielder James Garner could have been the perfect player to solve Manchester United's problems in midfield.
That is the opinion of former senior Everton scout, Bryan King, speaking exclusively to Football Insider.
The 25-year-old left Old Trafford for the Toffees in 2022, joining in a deal worth around £15million, and has progressed significantly in the years since.
Garner signed a new contract in January that will keep him at the club until 2030, with any move expected to cost in the region of £100m after the fees paid for Elliot Anderson and Sandro Tonali.
Man United have already signed both Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans for their midfield this summer, but they still lack a natural replacement for Casemiro.
Garner has emerged as a dominant midfield presence this season and may have filled that role well, had decision-makers deemed him capable at the time.
Everton recruitment expert hails James Garner
Garner began his career in the Man United academy but would ultimately only make seven appearances for the senior team.
His breakthrough came in the 2021-22 season, when he went on loan to Nottingham Forest and made 41 appearances in the Championship, scoring four goals and providing eight assists.
Man United could have given him a chance then, but they decided to cash in on him instead. There was some talk of a buy-back clause at the time, but it has since been established that just a sell-on clause is in effect.
"Anyone would take him if they've got any sense. I mean, this is a great individual footballer," King told Football Insider.
"He can run it, and he does. He runs at defenders and frightens them to death. He's a very, very good player. That was a good signing, him.
"I bet they're kicking themselves [Man United]. He could fit into any team in England and he'd be a threat for any team in England.
"He is a good footballer, no two ways about it, and technically, he's excellent."
The stats behind Garner's season
Perhaps most impressive about Garner's season was his staggering availability.
The 25-year-old played all but six minutes of every single one of Everton's games across all competitions, substituted off just once in the Premier League.
The midfielder averaged 3.16 tackles, 1.56 interceptions, 2.24 clearances and 4.85 recoveries every single game in the league.
Garner won 5.51 duels each game, too, and created 1.48 chances. There are still improvements to be made to his game, but he already stands among the Premier League's most impressive young midfielders.