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Frank McAvennie destroys Jesse Lingard for leaving West Ham, hopes they don't re-sign him
We’re delighted to welcome former West Ham United striker Frank McAvennie as our exclusive columnist. Each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at the London Stadium…
Frank McAvennie has destroyed Jesse Lingard for leaving West Ham to sit on the bench last season and hopes the club don’t re-sign him this summer.
Lingard scored nine goals in 16 appearances during a six-month loan spell with the club, but opted to stay at Old Trafford last season and battle for a place rather than join the Hammers on a permanent deal.
The 29-year-old barely featured though and is now set to leave the club when his contract expires next month and David Moyes is reportedly lining up a move to bring him back to the London Stadium, but McAvennie isn’t sure that’s the right thing to do.
“They’re talking about getting Lingard back, I’m not sure that’s the right thing,” he told West Ham Zone.
“I hope I’m wrong. I really do hope I’m wrong. Everybody has been saying he didn’t want to go, or they weren’t letting him go, what a load of crap.
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“He got in the England team playing for West Ham and he wanted to go back and play second fiddle at Man United and sit on the bench. Sometimes not even get on the bench.
“Where’s your ambition? He was enjoying his football and the fans loved him at West Ham, so you know I get if you want to go back and fight for your place at Man United but he wasn’t. He was fighting to get on the bench. I just don’t get it. I don’t get it.
“If it was me, I’d have gone wherever I was going to play. Whoever wanted me, I’d have been there. I couldn’t sit on the bench for anyone, never mind sit in the stand and watch a team who have been crap all season and you still can’t get a game.”
Point well made
Lingard is a very popular figure at the club because of that short loan spell, but McAvennie isn’t wrong in what he said and it’s fair to question the player.
With that said though, he is a quality addition to the squad even now and if he can help push the squad on to become a better side next season then he should be welcomed back with open arms.
In other West Ham news, the club are willing to let one first-team ace leave this summer amid interest from a European club
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