Manchester United are willing to sell James Garner this summer, with Leeds United one of the clubs to have shown an interest, according to The Athletic.

The Lowdown: Leeds watching

Garner impressed out on loan with Nottingham Forest last season and played a key role (12 goal contributions in 44 games) in helping them return to the Premier League.

The Whites were seemingly impressed by the 21-year-old and made enquiries during the second half of the 2021/22 campaign regarding a potential move.

As we know, a transfer is yet to materialise, with Leeds adding to their midfield ranks by signing Tyler Adams and Marc Roca, but it looks as if Victor Orta will now get the green light from Old Trafford over a possible transfer.

The Latest: Ornstein’s update

David Ornstein shared news from The Athletic regarding Garner on Monday. The reporter relayed an update from his colleague Laurie Whitwell that Manchester United are ‘open’ to offloading the midfielder in a permanent deal, valuing him at £14m.

Leeds - along with Everton, Nottingham Forest, Southampton and Tottenham - were name-checked in Ornstein’s tweet as having 'shown interest' in the player.

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The Verdict: Not needed?

Midfield was an area which needed bolstering for Leeds at the beginning of the summer, but with Adams and Roca through the door, a deal for Garner doesn’t appear to be wholly necessary at Elland Road in the final weeks of the transfer window.

Labelled as ‘technically very good’ by Roy Keane earlier this year and heavily praised for his set-piece ability under Steve Cooper while at Forest, the 21-year-old could still be a shrewd signing if he moves to Yorkshire, but the Whites need to prioritise a new forward first.

Patrick Bamford suffered an injury on Saturday and Joe Gelhardt didn’t travel to Southampton due to a problem of his own, which shows that another striker could be of use.

A new left-back could also be beneficial before the deadline due to injury issues for Junior Firpo and Stuart Dallas, so it would be a surprise if the club were to push for Garner.