Is James Garner being slept on as an English star?

Is James Garner being slept on as an English star?

With the World Cup fast approaching, one of the most prominent conversations within the England ranks is who Tuchel will choose to occupy those midfield slots.

Both Declan Rice and Elliott Anderson appear to be shoo-ins and will likely be the double pivot that takes England through the tournament for the most part – but it is the depth providing options that really provides some food for thought.

In many people's eyes, those at the top of the list are the likes of Adam Wharton, Jordan Henderson and Kobbie Mainoo, with each bringing a slightly different skill set that could be utilised in America.

But one man who is perhaps the most unique of all of the possible profiles, yet is largely being overlooked in the conversation about England's midfield, is current Everton man James Garner.

A Plane-Worthy Season?

James Garner has been one of the most integral parts of David Moyes' Everton side this season, who are currently embroiled in a battle which could see them playing European football next season.

His versatility has seen him occupy the midfield and both fullback positions. at times, but it has really been the centre of the pitch where he has shown his class.

"Would you take Henderson over Mainoo?" 😬 👀

England’s midfield options are up for debate ahead of the World Cup, who are you taking? 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 pic.twitter.com/zdMjmgGeeI

— The Overlap (@WeAreTheOverlap) March 13, 2026

Across the season, Garner has managed two goals and five assists, with his creativity from deep midfield positions playing a big part in Everton's attacking process.

Ganrer has also impressed with his defensive capabilities, too. His exceptional work rate and tactical discipline when the opposition has the ball have seen him emerge as a go-to in almost every scenario for the Toffees.

What He'd Bring

On top of everything he has been good at this season, perhaps the most intriguing asset that could be of use to Tuchel is his capability with set pieces.

Garner has an innate ability to whip exceedingly dangerous balls into the box from almost any area of the pitch, something which can be the fine difference between winning and losing at a tournament like the World Cup.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🔵 MOISÉS CAICEDO es el primer jugador en superar la marca de 50 INTERCEPCIONES en la Premier League 25/26:

🇪🇨51 - MOISÉS CAICEDO
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿46 - James Garner
🇦🇷44 - Marcos Senesi
🇫🇷38 - Adrien Truffert

Otra gran temporada del mediocampista del Chelsea 🔝

ℹ️ @Squawka pic.twitter.com/VgxNDpRh3U

— Ligas Top del Fútbol (@LigasTopFutbol) March 9, 2026

He has most commonly played in a double pivot alongside Idrissa Gueye this season, which would adeptly fit with the system likely utilised by Tuchel in America.

His comfort in using either foot means that he could quite easily slot into either of the two deeper midfield positions should something happen to Rice or Anderson.

When considering all his attributes, Garner is almost the perfect replacement. He has the sort of stamina to replace the high-intensity running of either midfielder, the set pieces to compensate for any Declan Rice absence and both the defensive and attacking attributes to fit whatever scenario he is thrown into.

Will Garner actually be chosen?

Now, it's all well and good saying all that, but what are the chances Garner actually gets picked?

Well, Garner hasn't yet been involved in an England squad under Thomas Tuchel; in fact, he has never made it into any senior England squad.

And, with just one international break left before Tuchel has to pick his squad, throwing him into that sort of situation without any experience with either the manager or on the international stage may be risky.

Having said that, when looking at the other options, Garner may well be the most equipped in terms of attributes to fill in for either of the likely starters.

There is no doubt that he should be included in the conversations; to not even mention his name would be unfair.

And as much as it feels like he probably won't be on the plane come the summer, the argument that he should be included is growing more and more with each passing game.