West Ham icon shares ‘brutally honest’ Jesse Lingard re-signing claim
Frank McAvennie would not take Jesse Lingard back at West Ham this summer.
The former Hammers hitman, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, claims the player who dazzled for West Ham last season no longer exists.
Lingard, 29, has only started two Premier League games this season after failing to move away from the club in the summer of 2021 and in January.
He moved to the London Stadium on loan in January 2020 where he scored nine goals and registered five assists.
The attacker is out of contract this summer but McAvennie has claimed he would not take the player back at West Ham.
“He was so, so good for West Ham,” McAvennie told Football Insider correspondent Ben Wild.
“I was gutted when he didn’t come back in the summer. We all knew he wouldn’t get the chance at Man United but he stayed anyway.
“Then nothing could be worked out in January because Man United didn’t want to strengthen a rival.
“He’s now had a year of not playing and that is never good for a footballer.
“I just can’t get my head around it. I would love the old Lingard back but I’m not sure he still exists.
“He’s done nothing this season and I think, if I can be brutally honest, we can probably do better.”
As revealed by Football Insider on 21 January, the Red Devils rejected a £5million loan bid from Newcastle United.
West Ham failed to sign any attacking reinforcements in January.
In other news, the Hammers have been tipped to snub an agreed deal to sign an “outstanding” international.