West Ham United transfer news as David Moyes offers update on Jesse Lingard
David Moyes says he wants to give Jesse Lingard “every opportunity” to improve his conditioning at West ham but says there has been no update on whether the Hammers will offer him a deal.
Lingard has been training at Rush Green after being left without a club following his exit from Nottingham Forest at the end of last season.
The former Manchester United attacking midfielder previously scored nine goals and provided four assists in 16 Premier League matches for West Ham during a loan spell in the 2020-21 season.
Speaking to talkSPORT on Tuesday (12 September), Moyes said: “Well Jesse’s trained with us for three weeks and look he’s improved greatly since when he first came in, he’s in really good condition and much better condition than what he was when he first come in.
“But I have to say when Jesse joined us a couple of years ago he scored I think it was 10 goals in 15 games. He was probably the difference for us getting into Europe for the first time Jesse.
“So, I want to give him every opportunity to get back into condition, see how he does. So, there’s no real update on it at the moment but just to say that he’s back and he’s getting much closer to levels of fitness that you’d hope he would be.”
West Ham will have to move quick as, according to Six Foot Two (11 September), the deadline for the Premier League registration of free agents is 2pm on Wednesday (13 September).
Make a decision
There is no doubt that Jesse Lingard was a huge asset to West ham the last time he was at the club, and there was a lot of clamour to bring him back prior to start of last season.
However, some of the good will earned during that excellent temporary stint was lost when he opted to join Nottingham Forest rather than move back to the London Stadium.
Moreover, you do have to ask now whether West Ham even have a spot for Lingard in their squad. Lucas Paqueta ended up staying, Mohammed Kudus has joined from Ajax, and of course Jarrod Bowen – as the popular terrace chante alludes to – is on fire.
West Ham are in the UEFA Europa League, though, of course so having more good players is never going to be a bad thing for manager David Moyes, who will have to carefully manage his squad.
But there is a sense now that a decision needs to be made one way or another, both for the good of West Ham and for the good of Jesse Lingard.
In other West Ham news, one journalist says the club will not be happy about rumours Liverpool and Manchester City want to sign Nayef Aguerd.