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Jesse Lingard 'unlikely' to join West Ham United, Lyon want Issa Diop - ExWHUemployee
Jesse Lingard is ‘unlikely’ to re-join West Ham this summer as it stands, while Lyon are interested in signing Issa Diop according to ExWHUemployee.
The Hammers have been linked with a move to bring the 29-year-old England international back to the London Stadium this summer with his contract expiring at Old Trafford next month.
But speaking on the West Ham Way podcast [May 30], Ex shared that a number of factors mean a deal is unlikely to happen as it stands, while also discussing the future of current central defender Diop who is wanted by Ligue 1 club Lyon.
“Lingard at the moment is still looking unlikely,” he said. “Number of factors; wage demands, the watch situation, it’s going to take a bit of a change in situation for us to sign him.
“Lazio in Italy are looking at Diop. There’s also clubs in France, our opponents in the quarter-finals Lyon are also after him. If we can get a centre-back in, Diop will go.”
Diop is entering the final 12 months of his deal at the club and has been heavily tipped to leave the club after becoming fourth choice in central defence last season.
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Good news?
The decision for the club to let Diop leave makes total sense right now, especially with news that the club are close to completing a deal for Rennes defender Nayef Aguerd in the near future.
That would see the 25-year-old relegated to fifth choice behind Kurt Zouma, Craig Dawson and Angelo Ogbonna also and it would be silly for him to stick around and for the club to make him stay.
As for Lingard, it’s hard to tell whether it’s good news or bad news that a deal is unlikely to happen at this point.
Obviously during his initial six month spell with the club he was brilliant, but that was before another entire season of him sitting on the bench and not playing or having any impact.
At 29-years-old and on giant wages it’s more of a gamble than the loan deal ever was and with other targets also on the list it may be best to fish around and see if there are better deals out there to pursue.
In other West Ham news, a potential new signing has already had official pictures taken with the shirt according to ExWHUemployee.
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