West Ham believe they have just a 10 per cent chance of landing Jesse Lingard
West Ham United believe they have just a 10 per cent chance of landing Manchester United ace Jesse Lingard, according to Sky Sports.
The England international spent the latter half of last season on loan with the Hammers, getting his career back on track after impressing at the London Stadium.
Lingard, 28, has just 11 months left on his current contract and is valued at £30million, but he is firmly in the plans of Man Utd manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer for 2021-22.
West Ham are yet to give up completely in their pursuit of the attacking midfielder, but they reckon their chances are now very slim.
Game over?
Lingard has featured for the Red Devils during pre-season, proving himself and showing exactly why West Ham want him back, and it is only normal for Solskjaer to want to hold on to him.
Man Utd are playing in the Champions League and looking to compete strongly on all fronts this season, and the midfielder wants to be part of it.
Lingard has known the club all his life, and six months at the London Stadium was not going to suddenly make him a Hammer.
We would have loved to have him back given how well he did during that brief stint, but the chance of not seeing that happen is 90 per cent.
That is as good as saying we have no chance at all, and manager David Moyes has to look elsewhere for the attacker he craves.
Lingard wants to prove himself at Old Trafford having done so at West Ham, and Solskjaer needs all the depth he can get for the new campaign.
It is a mutual feeling from both parties, and we are the ones that have to move on.
It is one of the disadvantages of loan deals without options for a permanent move.
Should Lingard change his mind before the end of the month, the Irons surely would not hesitate to swoop, but that does not seem any likely from the look of things.
In other West Ham news, Hammers in talks with PL club for int’l ace, ready to make big offer.
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