West Ham given Lingard signing ‘hope’ amid £13m news – pundit
Cristiano Ronaldo’s move Man United has given West Ham a “glimmer of hope” that they could pull off a late-window deal for Jesse Lingard.
So says ex-Milwall striker Noel Whelan, speaking exclusively to Football Insider with the close of the transfer window fast approaching.
This site revealed on 26 August that the Hammers are confident of getting a deal for the 28-year-old over the line before tomorrow’s cut-off.
The latest from a West Ham source is that talks are still ongoing over the attacking midfielder, who has a year left on his Old Trafford contract.
The Red Devils have sensationally agreed to re-sign Cristiano Ronaldo in a deal reported to be worth £12.8m, as per BBC Sport on 27 August.
And Whelan claims that the 36-year-old’s return will give the Hammers a degree of hope that they can capture last season’s loan star.
He told Football Insider assistant editor Dylan Childs: “It might give them a glimmer of hope.
“That talk is going to be between Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Jesse Lingard to see if he actually wants to stay at the club.
“Those talks need to take place because the player needs to know where he stands. That way, he can start looking for a club and it’ll give West Ham hope.
“But I don’t think it will make a huge difference. At Man United, there is always going to be competition for places. The squad can never be too big.
“I’d like to see him play week in, week out. We saw that he was outstanding when he was getting that regular game-time.
“He could thrive at West Ham the way they are playing at the moment. They are crying out for another player like him.”
In other news, playmaker agrees personal terms with West Ham as another big-money signing close.