Roshane Thomas: West Ham hopes of signing Lingard slipping away
The Athletic journalist Roshane Thomas has not given West Ham fans too much hope in signing Jesse Lingard on a permanent basis in the summer.
The 28-year-old has galvanised his career since moving to the London Stadium on loan and in his four-month stint has become one of the club’s main summer targets.
After drawing on Sunday to Brighton, West Ham’s Champions League hopes have all but ended and that could be one of the deciding factors in Lingard’s transfer in the summer.
Reports suggest that there are a number of teams keen to sign him, and West Ham not being able to offer him elite continental football may see him pursue a move overseas.
In his column in The Athletic, Thomas wrote, “West Ham United’s chances of qualifying for the Champions League have faded, and it appears so too have their hopes of signing Jesse Lingard on a permanent deal.
“Clubs have already started to form a disorderly queue to secure his signature and there is a feeling at West Ham that should Manchester United decide to sell Lingard this summer they are likely to try to use him as a makeweight in a deal for a player they would like to bring to Old Trafford.
“It is understood the Manchester United manager would prefer to sell the attacking midfielder now his value has increased and they would explore a deal for Declan Rice if West Ham wanted to make Lingard’s loan permanent, but the 22-year-old England midfielder is not the only player who is being considered for such a part-exchange move.”
Looking highly unlikely
Lingard may have his head turned by some clubs with Champions League football but he will undoubtedly have a feeling of loyalty to the club that’s resurrected his career.
There are links from overseas clubs that are not only participating in, but also trying to win the Champions League, and would be tempting for the England international.
However, should he want to stay in England, then West Ham is expected to be his preferred destination.
We know that he’s been one of the main reasons why we remain in the hunt for the top four and are expected to finish in the Europa League places as a worst-case scenario.
Hopefully, David Moyes and the club hierarchy can convince the player to stay because at the moment him signing permanently seems to be a flip of the coin.
In other West Ham news, ‘I really like him’ – Moyes open to signing £66,000-a-wk ace who Noble admires
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