Manchester United are keeping tabs on one of their former players who is impressing for a Premier League rival and is out of contract at the end of the season.
The Red Devils are keen on strengthening in central midfield, making a move for Brighton’s Carlos Baleba over the summer which ultimately came to nothing.
They will likely return to the transfer market and strengthen in midfield in 2026 and it could be a former player who they move for.
James Garner left the Red Devils for Everton in 2022 after coming through the academy system at Manchester United.
He had failed to make a breakthrough into the first team, appearing just seven times at senior level for United, although he did impress on loan spells at Watford and Nottingham Forest.
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Everton secured a bargain deal in the summer of 2022, snapping up Garner for an initial fee of £9m, in a deal which could be worth £15m in total.
The 24-year-old has already made 91 appearances for the Toffees and was in the starting XI as Everton stunned Manchester United at Old Trafford on Monday night, winning 1-0.
The four-year deal Garner signed with Everton in 2022 is expiring at the end of this season, which has seen other Premier League clubs beginning to circle.
TalkSPORT report that Manchester United is one of the interested parties, with Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa also keeping tabs on the midfielder’s situation.
Now with plenty of top flight experience under his belt, Garner would be a very attractive option on a free transfer.
However, the report states that Everton boss David Moyes is very keen to keep the England Under-21 international at the club and contract talks are planned.
The Scot talked up Garner as a future England star, along with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who scored the winner at Old Trafford.
‘James Garner is playing really well,’ said Moyes after the win in Manchester.
‘I know Thomas Tuchel was here tonight and and I’m sure everyone realises England’s No.1 was playing for Everton.
‘But the likes of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Jimmy Garner are English and are maybe not quite ready yet or maybe (they are).
‘But Thomas has brought up Alex Scott from Bournemouth so that should encourage the likes of Jimmy Garner and KDH that who knows what might happen as the season goes on.’
Earlier in the season Garner spoke glowingly of the improved mentality at Everton under Moyes, which he believes is more about taking the game to opponents than it was before.
‘He said to us on day one that he’s not come here to take over a team that’s fighting against relegation – he said it again on day one of pre-season,’ said Garner.
‘He sets high standards and we know where we want to be. We’ve got a few more faces in over the summer and with the quality we have in the squad now, we all agree with the manager – if you want to achieve big things, then you’ve got to set your standards and your goals high.
‘I think you can see it in us. There is a mentality shift. We’re playing with more confidence, going into games thinking how we are going to take all three points, it’s not just surviving.’