PL club exit race for Tottenham and Everton transfer target playing in Manchester | OneFootball

Transfer News: Nottingham Forest exit race for Tottenham Hotspur and Everton target James Garner

A recent report from the Athletic (Subscription Required) claimed that Tottenham Hotspur have watched Manchester United midfielder James Garner, who was on loan at Nottingham Forest last year.

The 21-year-old defensive midfielder played a big role in the Tricky Trees sealing promotion to the Premier League for this season. It was natural for Forest to want to retain a player who featured 49 times for them across all competitions last season.

However, according to Football Insider (h/t Liverpool Echo), the recently-promoted PL club are no longer in the race to sign Garner, who is also linked with Everton. The Toffees were linked with Spurs’ Harry Winks earlier this summer but that trail has gone cold in recent weeks.

Valued at around £14million, Garner is largely a low-risk signing. He still has a lot of years ahead of him and could only improve if he gets to play under a superb man-manager such as Antonio Conte.

Everton could offer him something Spurs can’t at the moment- regular playing time. Of course, it won’t be guaranteed under manager Frank Lampard as well, but comparatively, Spurs are better off in terms of first-team midfielders.

Conte already has to decide between Yves Bissouma and Rodrigo Bentancur when it comes to partnering Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg. Garner, however, could be afforded playing time in cup games and off the bench.

Rodrigo Bentancur of Tottenham Hotspur. (Photo by Eddie Keogh/Getty Images)

He was an unused substitute in both of United manager Erik ten Hag’s first two competitive games at the club. For a player who was playing week in, week out last season, this is certainly a dampener.