Roland Cutinho
Raphael Varane and James Garner return to training after injury scares
According to the Manchester Evening News, Raphael Varane and James Garner would be in contention to feature against Aston Villa as they have returned to training. Both players were unable to make it to the field against Crystal Palace owing to minor injuries.
Although the French center-back has played under Erik ten Hag, the young midfielder is yet to make a start this season. The former Real Madrid centre-back’s move to Old Trafford was a blockbuster move but the 29-year-old failed to live up to the expectations due to injury issues.
The fans would love to see Raphael Varane pair with new signing Lisandro Martinez, however, that would only be possible if the solid defender would be able to maintain the level of fitness needed to compete every weekend.
Although the manager would try to reshuffle his squad, both Varane and Garner would aim to get back into the starting XI. This would be particularly important for the English midfielder who was loaned out to Nottingham Forest last season.
The 21-year-old did perform admirably for the Championship side and helped them get promoted for the first time in 23 years. Many pundits including Roy Keane himself had reserved rare praise for the midfielder. Hence, the player would aim to make good use of his achievements and be a key player in Ten Hag’s plans.
Manchester United are currently busy dealing with the transfer of Frenkie de Jong amid uncertainty over the move. The Barcelona midfielder possesses the technical skills and experience that James Garner cannot match right now.
Garner’s initial spells at United didn’t give in many promises but he was a different type of player at Nottingham. The academy graduate’s ability to distribute the ball from midfield and pick up key passes has been his strong point. He could be an asset to the manager and the board would keep a close eye on his development.
James Garner would have dreamed of starting the first game under Ten Hag but couldn’t pick up a spot due to an injury. However, he now has the chance to make an impact as the Red Devils face Aston Villa in their next preseason game.
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With Varane and Garner both back in training, it only gives good news to Ten Hag. The Dutchman would also be eager to track the duo’s progress in pre-season given this is his first such spell with the Manchester United players.
