James Garner has been linked with a potential move to Everton but just what might the Manchester United prospect offer Frank Lampard? The midfielder, who turned 21 in March, has spent the past season-and-a-half on loan at Nottingham Forest and he played in last week’s 1-0 victory over Huddersfield Town at Wembley in the Championship play-off final, a result that secured the East Midlanders’ return to the Premier League for the first time since 1999.
Steve Cooper’s side are likely to be keen to retain Garner’s services as they prepare for life in the top flight but the Mirror reports that with Old Trafford chiefs prepared to loan the player out again, a temporary switch to Goodison Park potentially fits the bill. Lampard wants to strengthen his midfield – a priority position along with centre-back – and a return to his native Merseyside could appeal to Birkenhead-born Garner, who made 49 appearances, scoring four goals this term, as a step up compared to going back to the City Ground again.
When it comes to defensive midfielders plying their trade in the Premier League this past season, Norwich City’s Matthias Normann is deemed to be the most similar in style to Garner with a score of 75% on Comparisonator’s Similarity Comparison with Newcastle United’s Jonjo Shelvey up next on 69% followed by Burnley’s Ashley Westwood (63%) and Southampton’s (58%) but a closer examination of the player’s game throws up plenty of food for thought. While obviously playing at a lower level, if inserted among players already operating in his position in the Premier League, Garner would lead the way when it came to shot assists (1.31 per game) compared to Ward-Prowse’s (1.1) and Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson’s 1.07.
