James Garner could hand in a transfer request at Everton after Carlos Alcaraz was signed on deadline day.
The Englishman signed from Manchester United in 2022 but has never truly been a first-team regular in the midfield at Goodison.
The 23-year-old started under David Moyes against Leicester City after returning from a lengthy injury which had ruled him out since October.
This could have given the midfielder the hope that his minutes were going to be increased as the season moved on, but that might not be the case now.
James Garner could demand Everton exit after Carlos Alcaraz move
There is no doubt that the ex-Nottingham Forest loanee has qualities which make him a useful option for the Merseyside outfit.
With that being said, the midfielder has never been truly trusted to start on a regular basis by any manager he has played under in L4.
There was hope of earning that trust from Moyes in the coming weeks and months but Garner may now be set to lose his place to new signing Carlos Alcaraz.
The Argentine completed a last-gasp loan switch to Goodison on deadline day, joining from Flamengo on a deal until the end of the season.
This move is understood to include an obligation-to-buy clause worth £12.4million plus add-ons in the summer [Fabrizio Romano].
The Toffees will be keen to get the best out of the former Juventus ace and give him as many minutes as possible between now and the end of the season.
This will likely see the 22-year-old take the place of Garner who may look to find a regular role elsewhere as a result.