MANCHESTER UNITED are reportedly trying to bring James Garner back to Old Trafford, just three years after selling him to Everton.
The Red Devils are keen to sign a new midfielder with boss Ruben Amorim lacking quality depth in the position.
Amorim is also set to lose Casemiro at the end of the season, while Kobbie Mainoo and Manuel Ugarte‘s futures remain uncertain.
United’s situation in the middle of the park has been complicated by injuries to both Mainoo and Bruno Fernandes.
Defender Lisandro Martinez even tried out in midfield in the 2-1 loss to Aston Villa.
United were linked with a number of midfield options in the summer, including Brighton’s Carlos Baleba, Crystal Palace star Adam Wharton and Stuttgart’s Angelo Stiller.
But the club failed to sign any of their targets as they instead prioritised three new forwards in a £218million spree.
And now the Daily Mail report that boyhood United star Garner is emerging as a possible option for January, just three years after being sold for around £9m.
The 24-year-old is seen by Old Trafford chiefs as an affordable option given that his contract is up in the summer, it claims.
And the move would give United much-needed quality in midfield until the summer, when they are hoping to snap up Crystal Palace star Elliott Anderson.
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Garner joined United as an Under-8 player in 2009 and eventually made his first team debut in 2018.
He made a total of seven appearances for United before being sent on loan to Watford and Nottingham Forest.
Since joining Everton in 2022, he has played 103 times, scoring three goals.
Garner himself caught the eye as he played the full 90 minutes in Everton’s 1-0 win over his old club United last month.
Everton are said to be hopeful of tying Garner down to a new contract and are keen to do so before the January window opens.
There could also be some outgoings at Old Trafford in January, with Mainoo linked with Napoli and Joshua Zirkzee also tipped to leave.
But Amorim insisted no one will be leaving until they can secure some more reinforcements.
He said: “It’s going to be hard for someone to leave the club if we don’t get a substitution,’ Amorim said on Wednesday.
“We are short. Even with the full squad we are short for something that can happen.”
