Former Liverpool winger Paul Anderson says James Garner must be "selfish" regarding his situation at Nottingham Forest.
Garner is on-loan at Forest from Manchester United to June and Anderson admits he faced a similar situation when with Liverpool. Anderson joined Forest on loan for a season before eventually signing him for a bargain £250,000 when he was 20, after it was clear he was not going to break into the first team at Anfield.
Speaking on the Garibaldi Red podcast, Anderson said: "If we're honest, he is aiming to play for that Man United team. When I came to Forest on loan my aim was to have a good season in the Championship and hopefully be in and around the squad at Liverpool when i went back.
"It didn't quite work out but you know what, I then signed for Forest on a permanent and had three amazing years at Forest, well two especially amazing seasons.
"For him, I know Forest fans don't want to hear it, but if he has an option from the Premier League, or he has an option at the top of the Championship, where we would he go?
"We hope Forest will be challenging for that top six next season, as you would imagine he's going to have those sorts of options.
"Hopefully he has a nice positive feeling towards Forest just like I did after my spell.
"Mine was my second loan, obviously following my Swansea time, so beyond my loan spell, it was a question of right it's going to be permanent now or I was going to stay at Liverpool?
"I chose the permanent move to Forest. For him, I'm not sure what his journey is, whether he's wanting to continue on another loan.
"If he's doing another loan, it has to be a progression, so is it a progression with Forest because you're going to be at the right end of the table? I wouldn't say there's a bigger club in the Championship, but is there someone who might be classed more as the favourites to get promoted?
"Does he have an option to go into the Premier League or are Man United thinking about him being in and around their squad?
"He's going to have those decisions and those conversations come the end of the season.
"His aim is to play for Man United. My aim was to play for Liverpool and Swansea then Forest, at the time, were just a stepping stone for me to try and get to that level, to get experience playing first team football, to get my name out there.
"You have to be selfish about the situation - I'm helping Swansea , Swansea are helping me and it was the same at Forest.
"I'm helping Forest because they had a good player and Forest are helping me by allowing me to play in the Championship, giving me an opportunity to hopefully go back to Liverpool.
"Plan A didn't quite happen, but you know what, I was over the moon with plan B, playing for Forest.
"Overall not many people can say that and again he's in a position probably similar to myself where he's going to have decisions to make this summer."
