Manchester United Will Only Deal Lingard Under One Condition: Report

An underrated Manchester United midfielder is being linked to transfer rumors once again.

Jesse Lingard has always been vocal about his desire to earn a regular spot in Manchester United. However, he is yet to start a Premier League game under either Ole Gunnar Solskjaer or Ralf Rangnick this season.

It can be recalled that the 29-year-old had a remarkable spell with West Ham United in the latter part of the previous season. Now, the Hammers have reached out to the Red Devils once again to discuss a deal for Lingard, Evening Standard reported. However, Manchester United is not interested as the club would not allow the midfielder to join a “top-four rival,” according to the outlet.

Newcastle United, a lower-seeded club on the verge of being relegated, has also “made an approach” to bring in Lingard on loan for the rest of the season, the report said. Manchester United is reportedly more open to doing a deal with the club as Rangnick's side would not be strengthening a rival if they sanctioned the player's departure.

Despite all the link-ups, Lingard would like to still “keep his options open in the summer,” when he becomes a free agent, the report added.

Jesse Lingard of Manchester United in action during the UEFA Champions League group F match between Manchester United and BSC Young Boys at Old Trafford on December 8, 2021 in Manchester, United Kingdom. Photo: Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images

It is widely believed that the England attacker had already turned down a permanent move to West Ham this past summer and decided to fight for his place at the Old Trafford outfit.

West Ham manager David Moyes had previously confessed that he is “disappointed” by how Manchester United has been wasting Lingard’s overall skills. However, he is also well aware there's nothing he can do about his former player’s situation.

"I can't really talk about him because he's a Manchester United player and it's not for me to talk," Moyes said of Lingard’s situation last month. "But he was really good for us. Jesse [Lingard] knows what we all think of him here. My disappointment for Jesse would be, I think he's such a talented football player and he's not playing.”

"He played a big part in our second half of last season,” the manager continued. “But you'd have to give credit to the players here, they've moved on without Jesse. People might have thought Jesse made a difference here. But the players have moved on and stepped to another level themselves. But I've got to say, Jesse was a big part of that."

Lingard quickly made his mark on West Ham in the previous campaign, having logged an impressive tally of nine goals in just 16 matches for the club.