Pranav Nair
Transfer News: Manchester United lower their asking price for Jesse Lingard
According to the Daily Express (h/t Mirror), Manchester United are ready to accept a cut-price deal for English international Jesse Lingard this summer.
The 28-year-old has just a year left on his deal at Old Trafford and is yet to pen fresh terms. While he is far from a sure starter at United, Lingard will give Ole Gunnar Solskjaer great strength in depth. Given the number of competitions the club is in, he could find opportunities easier to come by.
Lingard never quite impressed under the Norwegian but experienced better fortunes on loan at West Ham. He scored nine goals and played a key role in the Hammers late push for European football. The United ace was one of the best players in the league post-January and won the player of the month and goal of the month awards for April.
Solskajer revealed recently that the player has a future at United and is in his plans for the new season. This has, however, done little to deter West Ham who are seeking a permanent deal for the player.
The same was confirmed by Hammers coach Stuart Pearce who has stated that the player is very much in the Londoners’ sights. He has gone on to add that while West Ham’s interest is serious, the onus is on United to get the deal done. (h/t Mirror)
“The ball is in Manchester United’s court. He is contracted to them. We would like him with us, there is no doubt about that.”
The Red Devils were seeking £30m for Lingard this summer but have now dropped their asking price to £20m. Whether this is all the encouragement West Ham needs to make their move remains to be seen.
While completing the deal is easier said than done, it could be in United’s best interests to do so. Lingard’s stock has never been higher and with the player’s contract running down, now might be the time to cash in. The amount could prove useful should we decide to bring in further reinforcements of our own.
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Lingard was a prominent player under both Jose Mourinho and Louis van Gaal at Old Trafford. The same cannot be said of Solskjaer who has often failed to get the best out of the player.
At 28, he should be seeking regular playtime rather than fighting for his place in a star-studded United frontline. Having missed out on this summer’s Euros, he will do well to play regularly and earn a place in next year’s World Cup. A move to West Ham could help him achieve just that.
