Leeds United

Leeds United: Conor McGilligan expresses disappointment over James Garner transfer update

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Image for Leeds United: Conor McGilligan expresses disappointment over James Garner transfer update

Journalist Conor McGilligan has outlined his disappointment as Leeds United target James Garner looks set to move elsewhere.

The Manchester United man spent last season on loan with Nottingham Forest and it seems as though he will re-join the team again next season if the latest report by Football Transfers is to be believed. 

After Garner helped Forest achieve promotion to the Premier League, McGilligan was so impressed that he urged the club to go out and sign the midfielder, while respected journalist Phil Hay had said (via MOT Leeds News) that the player could be a target.

This latest news, however, seems to have put an end to Leeds’ hopes of signing the 21-year-old, and McGilligan wasn’t happy to hear the update at all.

Speaking on the One Leeds Fan Channel, he said: “Probably the big news story breaking today is Leeds were interested, apparently we were keeping tabs, on James Garner at Manchester United – obviously he was on loan at Nottingham Forest last season. 

“However, it looks like Manchester United are extremely keen for James Garner to be going back to Nottingham Forest next season in the Premier League. Obviously, he solidified his reputation there and it looks like Erik ten Hag wants Garner to go back to Nottingham Forest, develop his trade a little bit, play with a little bit of familiarity when it comes to the players in and around him, and play with a little bit of confidence.

Would you want James Garner at Leeds?

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“And I imagine Garner has turned around to Erik ten Hag and said, ‘look, if there is any club want to go back to, it is Nottingham Forest. I want to keep Nottingham Forest in the Premier League’. 

“It’s a shame, because I think he’d have fit perfectly. I think even for the Jesse Marsch way, the 4-2-2-2 system, he’d have slotted absolutely seamlessly in there. It is what it is, he was one of my transfer targets as well. So a bit annoying, but it is what it is.”

TIF Thoughts on James Garner and Leeds…

Having signed a new contract with the Red Devils just before leaving on loan to Forest last season, it’s clear that Man United see the player as a valuable asset. With that in mind, it does seem more likely that they would loan him out again to the same club where has had some success, instead of selling him to Leeds in the summer.

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Still only 21, Garner has played just seven times for United, but has picked up key experience in spells with Forest and Watford prior to that.

Evidently, he had done enough in that time for McGilligan to be keen for Leeds to make a move over the coming months. As things stand, though, it looks as though the midfielder will go back to Forest to continue his development, before potentially getting a shot at making it in the Man United senior team one day in the future – leaving the Whites out of the equation for now.

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