Pranav Nair
Jesse Lingard keen to stay and fight for his place at Manchester United
According to The Star (h/t Manchester Evening News), Manchester United star Jesse Lingard is keen to stay put at Old Trafford and play a major part in the club’s upcoming 2021/22 campaign.
The English international has largely struggled for form and opportunities under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. This was a marked change from the regular playtime he received under both Jose Mourinho and Louis van Gaal. To add to his struggles, Lingard also had to overcome mental health issues following tragedies in his personal life.
A move to West Ham United on loan earlier this year proved to be the catalyst for positive change. He was amongst the brightest players in the Premier League for them and even earned himself an opportunity to make it to the Euros. While he fell short, the fact that he was even considered would have been inconceivable at the turn of the year.
His performances at West Ham have not gone unnoticed and his stock has never been higher. While a return to London could be in the offing, he is keen to stay put and rekindle his career at the Theatre of Dreams. He is keen to stay and fight for his spot and has already informed the club’s hierarchy of the decision.
Solskjaer is privy to the decision and looks set to start the campaign with Lingard in the ranks. While United may have already brought in Jadon Sancho, Lingard will give them more options when it comes to tackling a long and arduous season.
Opportunities await
Add to it, Marcus Rashford’s shoulder surgery could also rule him out for the first few weeks of the season. With Anthony Martial also just getting back to match fitness, Lingard could very well have a key role to play in the coming games.
Curiously, however, Lingard has just a season to go on his current deal. Whether his keenness to remain at United will extend beyond next summer remains to be s been. Either way, the upcoming campaign could very well be an audition both to United and other interested parties as to where his long term future lies.
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Lingard has featured for United in their pre-season games this summer and even scored the opener in our match against Queen Park Rangers. A versatile player capable of performing a range of duties, he could very well become a go-to utility player in attack.
While Solskjaer’s sides have shown much promise, they have also lost steam towards the end of the season. Having strength in depth could very well determine if we can end our trophy drought this season.
