James Garner transfer decision made by Manchester United

Before his name began circulating again in transfer conversations, James Garner had already carved out a steady, understated career arc that reflects both patience and progression.

A product of Manchester United’s academy, Garner joined the club at just eight years old in 2009 and rose through every age group at Carrington, eventually making his senior debut at 17 in a Premier League match against Crystal Palace in February 2019.

Despite his technical promise and strong loan spells elsewhere, opportunities at Old Trafford were limited, leading to a permanent move on transfer deadline day, 1 September 2022, when he joined Everton.

At Goodison Park, Garner has established himself as a reliable and versatile midfield presence, operating across deeper roles and contributing through work rate, set-piece delivery, and tactical discipline rather than headline numbers.

His consistency has been rewarded with regular selection, and by late 2025, he had surpassed 100 competitive appearances for Everton, underlining his importance to the squad during a turbulent period for the club.

While he has not yet lifted major silverware at a senior level, his durability and development in the Premier League have marked him out as one of Everton’s most dependable performers since his arrival.

It was recently reported that Manchester United and Ruben Amorim were exploring avenues to possibly bring the former academy graduate back to Old Trafford as part of their midfield overhaul.

But now, Manchester United have no plans to pursue a return for James Garner, despite renewed uncertainty surrounding the midfielder’s future at Everton, according to Football Insider.

Garner is entering the final six months of his contract at Everton, a situation that has naturally fuelled speculation.

Clubs including Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest have previously explored his availability.

Even so, United are understood to be looking elsewhere as Ruben Amorim plans longer-term midfield changes.

While the club are expected to address central areas in upcoming windows, sources indicate their focus is on alternative profiles rather than revisiting former academy players.