By West Ham Zone speaking to Frank McAvennie

6th Jul, 2022 | 9:10am

Pundit tells West Ham United to 'pull the plug' on Jesse Lingard pursuit

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 believes West Ham should pull the plug on their pursuit of Jesse Lingard this summer as the deal continues to stall.

The Hammers have been forever linked with a move for the 29-year-old, who spent six months on loan at the London Stadium during the 2020/21 season scoring nine goals in 16 games.

Now a free agent after leaving Manchester United at the end of his contract, West Ham are one of several clubs to hold an interest and have offered him a contract to bring him to the club permanently with the Daily Mail reporting a deal was close on June 25th.

But it seems a deal is no closer to being done, and former striker McAvennie believes the player is stalling because he doesn’t really want to come back and the club should move on to other targets.

“It’s great to see players coming down there and enjoying their trade,” he told West Ham Zone.

“I don’t know what’s happening with Lingard, I think that’s a funny one. Me personally, I don’t know if I’d pursue that.

“I just think he’s, it’s as if he’s waiting on other clubs coming in for him and it’s not happening. So I don’t want us to be a club which is ‘the only ones that wanted me,’ sort of thing.

“West Ham have gone by that now. If you don’t want to come to West Ham then go elsewhere.

“They shouldn’t pursue somebody that doesn’t want to go, but you never know what’s been said between David Moyes and Lingard. I don’t know whether he’s on holiday again, or what the situation is.

“I’d like to think if he’s stalling, then West Ham should pull the plug on him.”