Midfielder James Garner would benefit from another loan spell at Nottingham Forest to help him “integrate” into the Premier League, it has been claimed.
The Manchester United youngster has enjoyed an impressive campaign in his second stint on the banks of the Trent. A key figure for Steve Cooper’s team, he played the ball in for the decisive goal at Wembley which secured the club’s return to the top-flight.
He is expected to be assessed by new boss Erik ten Hag when he returns to Old Trafford for pre-season. But Reds CEO Dane Murphy has already expressed a desire to re-sign at least some of the five loanees who helped clinch promotion.
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Former United defender Paul Parker says linking up with Cooper at Forest again would be best for Garner’s development. He adds the 21-year-old could find himself as a squad player if he stays with his parent side next term
“I think he needs to go on a loan,” he told Metro. “Should it be in the Premier League? Yes, it has to be in the Premier League, I think for his own sanity, to be given the opportunity to play in that league.
“Should it be with Nottingham Forest? I think it should be with Nottingham Forest. I think if Steve Cooper wants to keep him, then he should be relaxed because he knows the club already and he has been there long enough. And if he is going to integrate into the Premier League, he should be (integrating) with them.
“People talk about, ‘oh, he is gonna struggle’. Forest is gonna struggle. But that’s the way of finding out about players. Can they dig in? Because it is not going to be as comfortable - not that it was that comfortable in the Championship.
“Or it’s going to be even more hard because he’s going to be playing with a different style, with a different team, with a different tempo. It’s going to be more onus on him, because he’s going to get a little bit more time with the ball, and he’s going to be closed down by teams, and he’s going to be more organised, defensively, in midfield than what they were in the Championship.”
He added: “So, he needs to come out, he doesn’t need to become a squad player and sit around on the benches. He’s got that impetus now and he doesn’t want that.”
