I told Erik ten Hag I was leaving Manchester United after watching him sign other midfielders

Everton's James Garner, who was born in Birkenhead and dreamed of being a star at Manchester United, believes his performances this season proves he made the right choice to leave Old Trafford.

Garner officially joined Everton on September 1, 2022, in a deal which potentially could increase from £9million up to £15million following an impressive loan spell in the Championship with Nottingham Forest. Garner admitted to feeling rather anxious as the transfer was finalised just before the close of the window.

The midfielder has now opened up about the conversation he had with Erik ten Hag that led to his Old Trafford departure. "I definitely had conversations with him but I'd just come off the back of a good season, probably the best season I possibly could have had so I didn't want to stagnate and sit on the bench week in, week out," he said, as reported by The Liverpool Echo.

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"Nothing is promised in football but when they start signing three, four midfielders you kind of understand your place. It was a decision that I wanted to make as soon as I went back, to go find first-team football somewhere else.

"He was honest with me, told me what he thought and said nothing was promised. I made a decision, some people might have thought it was the wrong one at the time but I knew it was the right one because I didn't want to stagnate when I'd just had such a good season, I wanted to go out and prove to everyone and prove to myself that I can play at the top level."

And Garner says the move to Everton was one of the