West Ham United unlikely to sign Jesse Lingard on free transfer
West Ham are now unlikely to sign Jesse Lingard on a free transfer despite the player training with the club for weeks, reports Kieran Gill.
Writing on the Daily Mail live blog (13 September), the journalist reports that club insiders have suggested a deal with the Hammers is now seen as unlikely according to club insiders.
Lingard has trained with the club for several weeks to build up his fitness after being released by Nottingham Forest, and even trained on Wednesday (13 September) but it now seems unlikely that he will join Moyes’ squad permanently.
“He trained with the first team at Rush Green today,” he said.
“However, West Ham insiders are now suggesting it is unlikely they will snap up Lingard.
“The decision is ultimately down to David Moyes.”
Sensible
As much as it would be a great story to see Lingard come back to the London Stadium and have a fairytale return, it just isn’t necessary anymore.
West Ham have moved on from needing Lingard in the squad and the player himself is a shadow of himself these days, proving to be a complete flop for Forest last year.
David Moyes now has far more options to choose from in those attacking midfield positions with the likes of Mohammed Kudus, Lucas Paqueta, Pablo Fornals, Said Benrahma and Jarrod Bowen all capable and better options.
Lingard wants to come back to feel loved, but he wouldn’t play regularly and the truth of the matter is that West Ham simply don’t need him.
It’s a sensible decision not to pursue him at this stage, and with interest from Turkey that seems to be his best bet now to play football regularly and fall back in love with the game.
In other West Ham news, Hammers legend tells the club to hand Moyes a new contract amid “uncertainty” around his future.