West Ham tipped to complete Lingard next year after major development today – pundit
West Ham are likely to have to wait until next summer before sealing a deal for Manchester United midfielder Jesse Lingard, according to Noel Whelan.
The former Leeds striker, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, suggested the 28-year-old may remain at Old Trafford past January after the arrival of Ralf Rangnick as manager.
Rangnick was appointed interim boss at Manchester United last Thursday (29 November) and unveiled to the media today (3 December).
A West Ham source has told Football Insider that the club’s former loan star remains on their radar with his current deal, worth more than £100,000-a-week, expiring in six months.
However, Whelan claimed Lingard could wait until his contract at Old Trafford expires at the end of the season before leaving.
“I think if Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was still in charge, West Ham’s chances of getting Lingard would be a lot more positive,” he told Football Insider‘s Russell Edge.
“But with a new manager coming in, I do believe that opens the door for him. But how long will he want to sit on the bench?
“I think he’ll give Rangnick that six months and see how it goes. Then in the summertime, he could well be on his way – because he’ll want to play full-time, not just 20 minutes here and there.
“He’ll want to be playing every week so he can show the type of form we saw when he was at West Ham on loan. I think he’ll give the new manager a chance.
“But he will be assessing the situation and probably feeling he will have to move on to West Ham or somewhere else next summer.”
Lingard scored nine times in 15 appearances on loan with the Hammers last season.
He has started just once in 11 Manchester United appearances this term, with two goals to his name.
In other news, there has been a major update on Burnley selling Tarkowski in January as £7million West Ham bid mooted.