© Provided by Football League WorldJames Garner
Nottingham Forest midfielder Ryan Yates has suggested that he wants to see the Reds re-sign James Garner from Manchester United if they can during the summer transfer window.
Garner has been an excellent addition to the squad at the City Ground since his January arrival on loan from Manchester United. The midfielder has added some much-needed class to their midfield options and has played a key role in them getting away from any sort of relegation danger. Overall, the 20-year-old has managed to make 19 league appearances and score three goals for Forest.
The midfielder's impressive form has seen him attract plenty of interest ahead of the summer window. The likes of Brighton, Norwich City and Rangers having all been reported to be in the race to secure his signature. That means that Forest are going to face a lot of strong competition in their bid to re-sign him on loan for next term.
Speaking to Nottinghamshire Live, Yates insisted that Garner is a quality player and that he is not surprised that other teams would be interested in him. While he also believes that if Forest were to re-sign him it would be a very beneficial move for them for next season.
He said: "He's a quality player. Teams are going to want him, of course they are, if you're performing well at his age.
"He's a Manchester United player, so it wouldn't be a surprise if other teams want him.
"It's completely down to him - what's best for his development.
"He'll eventually want to play consistently in the Premier League one day.
"Of course we'd love to keep him. We want quality players in every position, especially if we're fighting at the right end of the table next year - if he came back, that would only benefit us."
The verdict
You have to agree with everything Yates has said here on Garner, with the midfielder a player that has shown he has the potential to develop into an excellent Premier League player during his loan spell with Forest. Re-signing him is going to be very challenging for the Reds, but there is a chance Manchester United will send him back because he has performed so well.
Garner returning would be the sort of signing that would show that Forest mean business next season and that they are serious about trying to challenge for promotion to the Premier League. Yates will know that they have a better chance of achieving success on the field with the 20-year-old in their side.
With Garner having the backing of teammates at the City Ground, it would be very surprising if they did not at least try and re-sign him this summer. Whether they can compete with other interested parties though remains to be seen.
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