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Garner: I didn’t want to stay an Old Trafford passenger... return to roots put me in driving seat at Everton
EVERTON midfielder James Garner believes leaving Manchester United was the making of him.
Garner has come of age under Toffees boss Sean Dyche this season after having moved back to his Merseyside roots in a £15million deal in September 2022.
The 22-year-old had been at Old Trafford since the age of seven – but feared he would remain frustrated on the sidelines after a loan spell helping Nottingham Forest win promotion to the Premier League.
For Birkenhead-born Garner, a return to home soil made sense – and he is now reaping the rewards.
“It’s a tough decision when you’re coming from a club that is deemed to be one of the best in the world,” said Garner.
“It was a big decision, but I knew it was right – and I feel like I’ve proven that to those who didn’t believe in me.
“More importantly, I’ve proven to myself that I can play in a Premier League side week in, week out. That was a motivation. But, while it might sound a bit cliched, I don’t do it for anyone else other than my family. They’re the ones whose opinions matter.
“Ultimately it was more a case of proving it to myself. I had questions about whether I could compete at the highest level – and I’m doing that.
“I just need to take it a step further now.
“I had conversations with Erik ten Hag. I’d just come off the back of a good season, probably the best season I possibly could have had, so I didn’t want to stagnate and sit on the bench.
“When United signed three or four midfielders, you kind of understand your place.
“Ten Hag was honest with me, he told me what he thought and said nothing was promised. So I made a decision.
“Some people might have thought it was the wrong one – but I knew it was right because I didn’t want to stagnate.”
Garner’s closest friend at United was Angel Gomes, the London-born playmaker who excelled after leaving to join French club Lille in August 2020.
The pair linked up again last summer to help England win the Under-21 Euros.
Garner describes his 11th-hour move to Everton as “one of the most stressful days of my life” – and when Dyche was appointed Blues manager four months later, he was sidelined by injury and faced with the task of showing the new manager that he could be relied on during a relegation battle.
Garner, who will be trying to halt high-flying Aston Villa at Goodison today, added: “I am one of the youngest players in the team, so I had to prove myself to the manager and show him the right quality.
“That takes hard work – but I’m grateful to be playing every week and I hope that lasts for the remainder of the season. I feel I’ve been fairly consistent – and sometimes gone above that. Now it’s all about adding more goals and assists, they win games. “I feel like I’m more than standing my ground in this league – and I also feel that I’ve not even reached becoming the player I know that I can be.
“Playing in the team was always the dream.
“I could just have just sat it out at United with all my mates, trained, been on the bench and been comfortable.
“But I love to play football. If I’m not playing, I’m not happy. My life ultimately revolves around playing football – because that’s when I am at my happiest.”
‘United signed three or four midfielders... you know your place’