As James Garner made his way up towards the Wembley balcony with his Nottingham Forest teammates to collect the Championship play-off final trophy, those watching from a Manchester United persuasion were licking their lips.
Having played a fundamental role in helping them achieve the impossible, climbing from the bottom of the Championship table to finishing the season in fourth place, it was somewhat fitting that Garner produced one of his best performances in Forest colours in what was likely to be his last appearance for the club. The youngster bossed proceedings in the engine room and provided the all-important cross for Forest to score the winner, albeit via an own-goal, and end their 23-year exile from the Premier League.
It was a fitting way for the youngster to sign off, having captured the hearts of the Forest fans during his second loan spell on the banks of the Trent. Forest's loss, however, looked like being United's gain.... or so everyone thought.
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United had been borderline hopeless in midfield last season, with that particular weakness within their collection of problems being the one that was exposed more often than not. They brought the 2021/22 campaign to a close with full knowledge that they had to strengthen their midfield options as a priority over the summer.
While everyone accepted that United would have to strengthen their midfield options ahead of this season via the route of new signings, there was a clamour from the majority of the fan base for Garner to get a chance to impress. He had lit up the Championship and was one of the most talked about players outside of the Premier League last season.
Admittedly, there was an acceptance that he would return to United and be a squad player, opposed to starting every week. However, barely any United fans wanted the club to cash-in on the Birkenhead-born midfielder while his stock was high, instead hoping that Erik ten Hag would take him under his wing and support his development further.
Therefore, when it was revealed that Everton were close to wrapping up his signature, you could not blame United's supporters for being disgruntled. They had all seen what he had done at Forest, both in the league and in their run to the fifth round of the FA Cup, and felt he was worthy of forcing his way into the first-team environment. It felt like a big mistake, even if United had strengthened their midfield with the signings of Christian Eriksen and Casemiro.
On the flip side, however, you had to consider Garner's needs. He had just returned from a loan spell, playing week-in, week-out. Did he deserve to go from that end of the spectrum to one where he would have got the odd appearance here and there? Of course not. In that sense, you couldn't blame him for moving on.
"I know in myself I wouldn't have played if I had stayed, Garner recently told The Times. "I knew it was the perfect time now, at 21, to move on and try and stake my claim somewhere else and hopefully find a home, which I have now in Everton.
"Where I am at in my career now, I didn't just want to be an extra body or I didn't want to just be a spare player in training. Last season, I was one of the main players in Forest's team and that is what I want to be.
"I don't want to be just another player who is there for numbers in training. I want to be a main part of the team whether that is a starter or coming off the bench."
At 21, Garner could have been forgiven for being prepared to sit tight and play a patient game at Old Trafford, in the hope of forcing his way into Ten Hag's plans at some stage in the future. Instead, though, he chose to up sticks and move to a club that could offer him more frequent chances.
Since his departure at the very start of September, United have improved and so has their midfield. Ten Hag has settled on his preferred trio, making Bruno Fernandes, Eriksen and Casemiro his go-to men.
They give Ten Hag everything he wants in a midfield-three and they are far, far superior to those behind them in the pecking order. However, the likes of Donny van de Beek, Scott McTominay and Fred, at the ages of 25 and 29, respectively, are unlikely to be prepared to warm the bench for too long and watch their careers flash them by.
If like Garner's character, they could all soon start banging on Ten Hag's door and requesting more game time, in turn creating an environment that could test the Dutchman's man-management credentials. He has excelled as a tactician, but might soon have to show a different side to his management style.
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