Why West Ham’s ambition could rule them out of Lingard move in January
Stefan Bienkowski
- 3 Jan 2022 14:50 GMT
- 5 min read
Manchester United are expected to shed a number of unwanted first team players in the January transfer window.
Edinson Cavani could move on to Barcelona, Anthony Martial has also been linked with the Catalan side, while Paul Pogba could be set for a move to Paris or Madrid.
However, one player that was all but certain to leave but could now be staying put, is none other than Jesse Lingard.
Trending
After an impressive loan spell at West Ham last season, Lingard returned to Old Trafford this time around in the hope of picking up serious game time. Yet, under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and now Ralf Rangnick, the England international has had no luck.
As such, a permanent move to the London club has been suggested for quite some time. Yet new information has apparently scuppered any hopes of Lingard reuniting with David Moyes and his former teammates.
Why won’t Man Utd sell Lingard to West Ham?
According to a new report from the Daily Mirror, Man Utd are unlikely to greenlight a move to West Ham for Lingard in January due to the simple fact that both clubs are currently competing for a top four spot.
As things stand, Man Utd sit seventh on 31 points, while West Ham sit above them with three more in fifth place. And both clubs are well within reach of finishing in the top four come May.
As such, despite Lingard’s ability to speak to other clubs and even sign a pre-contract agreement with West Ham, it seems unlikely that the England international will be allowed to complete his move to the Hammers until the end of the season.
It’s with that in mind that another option for the forward has now presented itself, with Newcastle United also keen on making a move for Lingard.
Whether it would be for a short-term loan or a permanent move, the St James’ Park side may stand a far better chance of negotiating a deal with Man Utd since they currently find themselves near the bottom of the table and not neck-and-neck with the Old Trafford club.
