Man Utd hope new Nottingham Forest boss can work his magic on young star

Nottingham Forest will be hoping they can keep Manchester United youngster James Garner for the entire season, as planned.

The midfielder, likened to ex-United favourite Michael Carrick, is back at the Championship club after a successful loan spell in the second half of last season.

Prior to returning to Forest on a season-long loan, Garner penned a fresh contract at United that ties him down to the Old Trafford club until 2024.

So far he has started every game for the Reds. That included all 90 minutes of Saturday's 1-1 draw at home to Millwall - the first game of new manager Steve Cooper's reign.

James Garner is in his second spell on loan at Nottingham Forest

But it has now been revealed that United have a 'break clause' inserted into the arrangement.

According to the Sun, that would mean that Garner could return to his parent club in January should he fall out of favour at Forest or United wish to recall him.

That very situation occurred last season with Garner. He joined Watford at the beginning of the 2020/21 campaign and made a strong start, appearing 20 times in the league for the Vicarage Road side.

Garner fell out of favour at Watford, leading Man United to recall him and send him back out on loan to Forest

But he was then frozen out of the side after the arrival of new manager Xisco Munoz. United decided to cut his loan spell early in January and sent him to Forest, where he would go on to feature prominently under Chris Hughton.

However, it seems unlikely that history will repeat itself this year.

As mentioned, Garner is a regular starter for Forest and his influence on the team is growing. Despite some fans suggesting his performances so far have not lived up to those from last season, time is very much on the 20-year-old's side.

Chris Hughton, the man who Cooper replaced earlier this month, said of Garner's return: "He's been away and played some games pre-season but the competition here and the ferocity of Championship games is different so I think he might take a couple of games to get into his stride.

Garner has started every game for Forest since returning

"But we're delighted to have him. He was a massive plus for us last season and we hope he can be the same again."

Whilst Hughton's exit will no doubt have disappointed Garner, the arrival of Cooper will surely have been music to his ears. Cooper forged a reputation for coaxing the best out of talented Premier League loan players while he was at Swansea.

Touching on the issue of integrating loan players, Cooper said earlier this year: "There's no secret sauce or something we're doing that a lot of other clubs won't be doing.

"But we're not making it up as we go along, we're sticking to a plan and with that it is easier to explain to loan managers or other first-team managers, and that has helped us get players in over the line."

Liverpool's Rhian Brewster, Chelsea's Marc Guehi and Newcastle's Freddie Woodman all improved after working under the Welshman and played a big part in the club's march to successive play-off campaigns.

Garner and Forest fans will be hoping that proves to be the case once more, and that Cooper can work his magic and get the best out of a player with undoubted talent.

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