Michael Dawson has detailed the qualities of ‘brilliant’ Everton signing James Garner.
The Toffees announced their eighth summer signing with less than an hour until the transfer window shut for a fee believed to be £15million - less than £10million of which is upfront. The 21-year-old has signed a four-year deal with the club, keeping him at Goodison Park until 2026.
Deep-lying midfielder Garner spent one-and-a-half seasons on loan at Nottingham Forest in the Championship and had courted interest from a host of top-flight sides, with the Blues beating the likes of Leicester City and Forest to his signature. And a former teammate at the City Ground, Michael Dawson, has hailed the young talent’s quality in possession.
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“They’ve got a player who likes to get on the ball, likes to create,” Dawson told Sky Sports News . “I watched James Garner when he was at Watford, he took every set-piece, he took the ball forward.
“Nottingham Forest brought him in and I had half a season with him. He was brilliant. Getting on the ball, dictating everything, not breaking everything up but he can move but he will try to play the ball forward. A good signing, only 21 but a good signing for Everton.”
Garner joined the Manchester United academy at under-eight level and worked his way up the youth ranks, making his first-team debut at 17-years-old. And Dawson cited comparisons with another Red Devils midfielder as proof of how highly rated the England youth international is.
“To be linked with Michael Carrick shows how highly they regarded him,” the former Forest defender added. “He gets on the ball, sits in front of the back four. Michael Carrick is big shoes to fill but the same kind of player. Good signing, still only young, I thought he was magnificent for Nottingham Forest.
“I thought him and Ryan Yates complemented each other, you’ve got Idrissa Gueye in there - another workhorse - but James Garner will be the guy defenders play into so he can get it on the half-turn for Everton.”
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