Simon Jordan moots higher wages for West Ham United target Jesse Lingard

Simon Jordan has mooted a higher salary for West Ham target Jesse Lingard who looks set to leave Manchester United on a free in the summer.

The England international’s contract expires at the end of the season with a host of clubs looking to sign the forward.

With question marks surrounding the attacker’s form having made only one Premier League start for the Red Devils this season – Jordan backs David Moyes’ judgement.

West Ham

“Why wouldn’t they? [West Ham fans welcome Lingard back],” Jordan told talkSPORT [May 26, 10:00]. “The key component to Jesse Lingard’s move was free transfer.

“Free transfer means one thing, more money in the player’s salary. Newcastle wanted to take him on loan and Manchester United wanted £10 million for him as a loan fee.

“So, with that in mind, he could have gone, but people didn’t want to pay the money.

“He probably wasn’t that motivated to go because he knows, in the summer, any transfer fee anybody doesn’t have to pay for him, the argument would be that it would land in his salary.

“One thing we have to factor is David Moyes is nobody’s fool. He’s not going to take players that are going to be turkeys. So, he feels Lingard’s a decent signing.”

Risk.

He has done it before at West Ham during his half a season loan spell at the club but can he do it long term?

West Ham

Make no mistake, he was excellent last season during his short spell at the London Stadium but they were different times and he was a different player.

The Hammers are now looking to establish themselves in the Champions League, win trophies and develop year on year.

Signing somebody who is nearly thirty might not be the best way to do that with Lingard surely past his peak at this stage.

The Irons can’t be fooled by the honeymoon period that he enjoyed after ditching the nightmare that was Old Trafford the season before last.

Moyes’ side was in competition with Manchester United for the last Europa League spot this season and signing one of their rejects is hardly a way to overtake them in the next campaign.

Their money would be much better off spent on younger, hungrier players who still have plenty to prove.

In other West Ham news, a key West Ham man has humiliated himself with a series of off the mark rants.

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