Former Man United star reveals a chat with Erik ten Hag left him wanting to leave Old Trafford before joining Premier League rivals

A former Manchester United player has revealed that a single conversation with manager Erik ten Hag had made it clear that his future would not be at Old Trafford.

The 24-year-old star, who has been involved in the Red Devils’ academy system, had high aspirations ahead of the Dutchman’s arrival, spending his last two seasons on loan.

However, as James Garner has revealed, a lengthy injury kept him from making an impression on ten Hag during the summer of 2022, despite the club’s search for a new midfielder at that time.

‘I felt like I had a chance because I’d proven myself on loan,’ Garner said on the More than A Match podcast. 

‘They could see that I was serious to try and take up a spot, but obviously, the new manager came in, Ten Hag, and I got injured on the first day of pre-season, which killed me.

‘I’ve come back and I want to show people that I’ve developed in the gym and all that, doing everything maxed out and all that stuff, and I’ve maxed out on my quad… I tore it basically.’ 

Without the Dutch manager’s credibility, Garner followed with a move to Everton for an initial fee of £9million – which could rise to £15.5m considering the add-ons.

The Englishman was a key figure for former manager Sean Dyche, featuring in 44 games in all competitions last season, managing to score two goals and add two assists.

Although his initial plans were to remain at Old Trafford, he made only seven appearances for United’s senior team and was not given a chance after his return from a two-year loan spell at Nottingham Forest. 

Garner continued: ‘I was running and every time I planted on my right side it felt like my right side was 20 kilograms heavier than the left. It was weird, so I got a scan and I was out for three weeks. 

‘I missed the first few weeks of the new manager. That was his very first session and I was injured on the first day.

‘He’s come to implement his new style and a new way of playing, and I got injured on the first day. I’m not saying I would have stayed. I could have. 

‘I might have hit the ground running on the first day and he might have thought “I’m keeping him, he’s good”. I might have suited him, but we’ll never know.’ 

United and precisely ten Hag were keen to bring a defensive midfielder to the squad throughout the entire summer transfer window.

Frenkie de Jong and Adrien Rabiot were just two names on the long list, which concluded with Casemiro’s signature and arrival at Old Trafford after the Brazilian made his decision to join the project. 

‘We went to Thailand and came back,’ added Garner. ‘I played one or two games, but didn’t play as well as I’d liked, coming back from injury, being nervous and wanting to impress.

‘And then it was kind of a conversation, so I went to see him [Ten Hag] and I said ‘honestly I kind of want some kind of answer whether I’m going to play a part of this season.’

‘He said ‘you’re going to play a part, but I’m not going to promise anything.’ I thought I’d got my answer. I’m not scared to go out of my comfort zone. 

‘I think it’s time now to go and play. I didn’t want to stagnate, I didn’t want to sit on the bench after playing every single game in the season before.’

However, after a challenging start to the season at Everton, the player is now one of David Moyes’ main men.

With a six-game unbeaten streak, the Toffees have further climbed out of a potential relegation to the Championship, sitting in 15th place in the Premier League with 34 points after 29 games.

However, after a challenging start to the season at Everton, the player is now one of David Moyes’ main men.

However, after a challenging start to the season at Everton, the player is now one of David Moyes’ main men.

With a six-game unbeaten streak, the Toffees have further climbed out of a potential relegation to the Championship, sitting in 15th place in the Premier League with 34 points after 29 games.