5 key passes, 1 goal: Leeds target produces stunning midweek display as Orta eyes move – opinion

Leeds have recently been linked with Nottingham Forest loanee James Garner, and his performance against Coventry City on Wednesday evening will certainly have caught Victor Orta’s eye.

This forms part of our Transfer Watch series, where we react to a performance from a current transfer target.

Garner, who is on loan at the City Ground from Manchester United, has been linked with a move to Elland Road in recent weeks.

Leeds, and therefore Victor Orta, are thought to be monitoring the 21-year-old closely ahead of a possible summer swoop.

Manchester United may consider a permanent sale over the coming months, with Jesse Marsch looking to bolster his midfield options ahead of his first full season in charge.

Forest recorded a fourth successive Championship win on Wednesday to consolidate their place in the playoffs, defeating Coventry City 2-0. Garner was man of the match, as per SofaScore, recording a rating of 8.4/10.

The central midfielder scored Forest’s second on the hour mark and also registered five key passes (the most in the match), made four interceptions (second-most) and three tackles (third-most).

You’d expect that Garner’s display will have caught the eye of Orta given the recent transfer links, and should Forest fail in their push for promotion, a move for the Manchester United man over the summer could be a shrewd call.

Of course, the Red Devils will need to be willing to part ways with Garner on a permanent basis, and if they are, a move to Elland Road looks to make sense for all parties, banking the parent club a profit on a player far down the pecking order and granting the player first-team football in the top flight.

Marsch meanwhile has just four senior midfield options at this moment in time, with