(Football news) With Jesse Lingard’s contract expiring this summer, the 29 year old is set to depart his boyhood club as a free agent in search for regular gametime elsewhere. Amongst the clubs that are linked with the attacking midfielder are West Ham United, where Lingard has previously spent the second half of the 2020/21 season out on loan, Tottenham Hotspur, which looks like an unlikely destination in the January transfer window and Newcastle United. The Magpies have recently signed Kieran Trippier from Atletico Madrid and will be willing to spend money this month in an effort to lure Lingard to England’s North East, which could be a deal favorable to both the clubs as Manchester United don’t risk losing out on him for free.
Lingard has made it clear that he’s not keen on renewing a deal with Manchester United and can already reach a pre-contract agreement with foreign clubs. The January transfer window represents Manchester United’s last opportunity to cash in on Lingard who will leave for free this summer and Newcastle presents the perfect opportunity for a potential agreement as the Magpies have cash to spend following the Saudi led takeover and are looking to bolster their squad to ensure survival in the Premier League. Adding to that is the fact that unlike West Ham and Tottenham, Newcastle are not rivals for the top four spot in the Premier League and selling Lingard to the Magpies does not strengthen any of their rivals plus give them some financial incentive, therefore its a move that appears to be suitable for all parties involved.
Under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Lingard was promised regular gametime but he only started once under the Norwegian. His prospects have not improved under Ralf Rangnick either which have resulted in the 29 year old losing his place in the England national team for the fixtures in November. It’s no mystery why Lingard would want to leave for more gametime, especially considering that the 2022 World Cup is set to take place later this year. A change of scenery is expected to benefit Lingard who scored nine goals in 16 appearances for West Ham during his loan spell last season.
It’s surprising considering Manchester United’s current woes that Jesse Lingard has not got opportunities at the club. He’s a player known for his tireless workrate, pressing, creating chances and scoring goals, attributes that the current Manchester United starting XI desperately need. However, it seems like Rangnick, like his predecessor before him, prefers Bruno Fernandes, Fred and Scott McTominay in the middle of the park rather than Lingard or Van De Beek. The 29 year old has also been linked to FC Barcelona and AC Milan but a move away from England seems unlikely as things stand.
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