Why James Garner could be an exciting signing for Bournemouth
According to The Sun, Bournemouth are interested in signing Man United starlet James Garner on loan as the Cherries look to reshape their squad following their relegation from the Premier League.
Swansea City and a handful of other Championship clubs have also been credited with an interest in the 19-year-old but the Cherries stand a strong chance in the race, courtesy of their good footballing reputation. (h/t The Sun)
As per the report, United could send Garner out on loan to a second-tier club this summer to give him a better taste of senior competitive football.
Profile
Born in Birkenhead, James Garner joined Man United’s youth system at the U-8 level and made quick progress through three ranks to represent the Red Devils at U-18 and U-23 levels.
Garner was handed his first-team debut by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in a 3-1 win over Crystal Palace in the Premier League towards the back end of the 2018-19 campaign. The England U-19 midfielder featured as a late substitute against Norwich City in the 2019-20 Premier League back in October, while also starting thrice in the Europa League.
Garner has made 7 first-team appearances for the Red Devils in all competitions so far and has been widely tipped to evolve into a regular starter at Old Trafford in the years to come.
Why Garner could be a good signing for Bournemouth
Bournemouth’s five-year spell in the Premier League came to a sorry end by the narrowest of margins as the Cherries finished 18th in the standings this season, just a point adrift of safety.
A mass clearout of players is expected to take place at the Vitality Stadium as a part of the club’s cost-cutting venture following their relegation back down to England’s second tier.
The Cherries currently have established names like Phillip Billing, Jefferson Lerma, Lewis Cook and Dan Gosling vying for places in the middle of the park, but it remains to be seen whether new manager Jason Tindall manages to keep all of them on the payroll next season.
The departure of veteran Andrew Surman has depleted Bournemouth of some quality cover in the middle and the arrival of James Garner could add some valuable depth to a key position.
Loan move – A fair deal for all parties?
The 19-year-old’s talent and potential have been there for everyone to see but he needs regular game time to continue his development.
Considering the stiff competition for places in United’s midfield at the moment, Garner is unlikely to play a big role next season, and dropping down a division seems like a good idea for the Red Devils graduate.
Bournemouth have carved out a massive reputation for nurturing rising homegrown prospects, as evident from the rise of David Brooks, Lewis Cook, Aaron Ramsdale, and several others. To that end, a loan spell on the south coast could well be in the best interests of Garner’s development.
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Verdict
It remains to be seen what kind of an approach Bournemouth adopt in the transfer window following their relegation to the Championship. Regardless of that, though, James Garner could be a cheap and handy addition on loan as the Cherries look to mount a strong promotion push next term.
