Manchester United have conducted poor business in recent times, with the Red Devils splashing out over £700m on new signings since the 2020/21 campaign.
Only a handful of the arrivals, signed off by the Glazers, have been successes, with the likes of Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martínez tightening up the United defence, after a few years of defensive errors.
However, signings such as Antony, Donny Van De Beek and Jadon Sancho haven’t worked out, with the trio costing the club over £180m – with two of whom currently away from Old Trafford, reflecting their lack of impact at the club.
Casemiro is another player who has failed to live up to expectations despite a glittering career before his move to England. The Brazilian cost the Red Devils £70m, on £350k-per-week, the highest of anyone at the club.
The club could’ve avoided the big-money signing of Casemiro had they kept hold of a youngster, with the former United man now excelling elsewhere in the Premier League.
James Garner’s stats for Manchester United
After joining the United Academy at the age of eight, James Garner had a successful progression from the club’s youth ranks at Carrington, before eventually making his first-team debut for his boyhood club back in February 2019.
17-year-old Garner replaced Fred in the 90th minute of the 3-1 Premier League win at Crystal Palace, before subsequently signing an extension just a month later.
He would make his Europa League debut in October 2019, before leaving the club on loan to join Championship side Watford ahead of the 2020/21 season.
Garner failed to receive the game time he needed to progress, with his deal being terminated to allow him to join Nottingham Forest – a move that would allow him to flourish, with former Premier League goalkeeper Paul Robinson lauding the midfielder as “exceptional”.
He quickly settled into life at the City Ground, scoring a screamer on the final day against Preston, before re-joining the Reds on loan once more for the 2021/22 season.
The midfielder was a crucial part of Forest’s promotion-winning side, featuring 41 times and scoring on four occasions with Garner stealing his claim for a regular first-team place at Old Trafford.
However, Erik ten Hag and the board decided to sell the now 23-year-old after just seven United outings, with Garner subsequently going on to have a fabulous campaign in the Premier League this season.
James Garner’s market value in 2024
The youngster joined Everton for a fee in the region of £9m in 2022, with Garner jumping at the opportunity to play regular football in England’s top flight.
His displays in midfield under Sean Dyche this campaign have seen his market value soar to £25.7m as per CIES Football Observatory – a figure that is higher than United’s £55m signing Mason Mount, whose value has dropped to just £17m less than a year after he arrived at Old Trafford.
The “phenomenal” talent, as dubbed by Trevor Sinclair, has featured 27 times in the Premier League this season, with the youngster remarkably producing better stats than Casemiro in multiple key areas.
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Garner v Casemiro in the PL 23/24 |
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|---|---|---|
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Statistics |
Garner |
Casemiro |
|
Progressive carries |
0.97 |
0.61 |
|
Successful take-ons |
0.62 |
0.46 |
|
Interceptions |
1.6 |
0.84 |
|
Shot-creating actions |
3.3 |
1.7 |
|
Stats via FBref |
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It’s undeniable that the Brazilian is more suited as a ball-winning midfielder than the Everton man, but given Garner’s age and talent, it seems as though the Red Devils made a mistake in allowing him to leave the club.
Casemiro is coming to the end of his career, with United needing to replace him in the years to come. They will undoubtedly splash big money on a replacement, but they could’ve saved themselves a lot of money had they stuck by Garner and allowed him to flourish at his boyhood club.
