Juan Mata predicted who Paul Pogba 's successor at Manchester United would be before he confirmed his departure from Old Trafford.
Both the Spaniard and Pogba will leave the Red Devils at the end of June when their contracts expire. United will likely look to replace both players, with midfield one of the areas in their squad that badly needs strengthening.
The transfer market is one of the ways Erik Ten Hag will look to do that, though he could also promote from within. And Mata has already pointed to one player who he believes would be a successful part of United's senior team.
The player he highlighted was James Garner, who enjoyed a successful loan spell at Nottingham Forest in the season just gone. Before joining Forest last summer, Garner had spent six months on loan at Watford, during the campaign in which they were promoted from the Championship.
Ahead of his move to Vicarage Road, Mata had praised the midfielder and tipped him for success. His comments would appear to suggest that Garner could become Pogba's replacement when he returns for pre-season training under Ten Hag.
“I always thought he is one of the players who, if he keeps going and keeps improving, in the way he was doing in the academy, he can be a very, very good midfielder," Mata told United's club website in 2020.
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"I really like him; the way he plays on the ball, his cleverness, his way of looking forward, looking for a pass and also his attitude off the ball. So, whenever he was here, I always tried to encourage him and said what I believed he could be as a player.
"I always tried to motivate him and give him confidence as I think, when you’re that age, you need confidence and trust - not only from the manager but also from your team-mates. I wish him all the best at Watford and I am sure he will do well. He’s a great guy and a very good player, as I’ve said before, because he keeps improving every day."
The idea that Garner could replace Pogba is gaining traction, with the midfielder having helped Forest to win promotion via the play-offs. And the 21-year-old himself is relishing the chance to return to United to show what he has learnt during his loan spell.
"The whole idea of a loan is to show everyone what you can do, get better and put yourself in the best possible position to go back to your parent club. I don't know what that will consist of at the moment, but I feel like I've given myself the best possible chance to go in and do my best," he said.
"I came to Forest when they were low down in the league, but playing week in and week out has been really beneficial. As a player I've developed a lot. Everyone says this league is probably one of the hardest in the world. You learn a lot from playing against good teams and experiencing a lot of good battles.
"I've also been alongside teammates who have played in the Premier League and they've shared a lot of advice with me, so I'm lucky to have had this opportunity and it's definitely put me in good stead for the future."
